ii  ili 


{tilHiJIlijpyiiipidliiiiiji 


Dteeo 


tdufOyu^   ll/.-SH-f^"^^ 


ALLYN   AND    BACON'S   COLLEGE    LATIN    SERIES 

UNDER   THE    GENERAL    EDITORSHIP   OF 
JOHN   C    ROLFE 


THE  SHORT  STORIES 
OF  APULEIUS 

WITH  INTRODUCTION  AND  NOTES 
BY 

JOSEPH    B.   PIKE 

UNIVERSITY    OF    MINNESOTA 


oJOic 


ALLYN    AND    BACON 


COPYRIGHT,  1918, 
BY  JOSEPH    B.   PIKE. 


NortaooU  yixtee 

J.  8.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 

Norwood,  Masa.,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

The  text  of  these  tales  is  that  of  Helm's  second  edition  of 
the  Metamorphoses.  The  few  changes  that  have  been  intro- 
duced are  noted  in  the  commentary.  The  spelling  and  punctu- 
ation have  been  made  to  conform  to  that  of  the  other  books  in 
this  Series. 

Purser's  edition  of  Cupid  and  Psyche  has  been  of  great 
assistance  in  preparing  the  notes  upon  that  portion  of  the  text. 
Butler's  translations  of  the  Metamorphoses  and  the  Apology 
have  been  used  and  his  renderings  have  been  often  adopted  in 
the  introductory  study. 

In  the  few  cases  where  expurgation  seemed  advisable  the 
point  of  the  tale  has  in  no  instance  been  affected.  In  the  one 
case  where  expurgation  would  have  spoiled  the  story  the  editor 
has  included  the  text,  but  without  commentary.  This  was 
done  that  a  complete  view  of  the  short  story  as  found  in 
Apuleius  might  be  presented. 

As  the  stories  are  of  unequal  merit  and  interest,  the  follow- 
ing are  cited  as  the  best  of  the  collection :  Diophanes  the  Chal- 
dean, The  Bobber's  Tale,  The  Tragedy  of  Tlepolemus  and 
Charite,  The  Lost  Slippers,  Cupid  and  Psyche. 

The  editor  wishes  to  express  his  thanks  to  Professor  John 

C.  Rolfe,  the  general  editor,  for  the  valuable  assistance  he  has 

given. 

J.  B.  P. 

June,  1918. 


CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION  ^^^^ 

Apuleius  :  His  Life  and  Works vii 

The  Origin  and  Extension  of  the  Term  "  Milesian  Tale  "     .         .  xiv 

The  Apuleian  Short  Story     ........  xxii 

TEXT 

Tale  of  Aristomenes  the  Commercial  Traveler       .        .  1 

DiOPHANES    THE    ChALDEAN 11 

Telyphron's  Tale  of  the  Witches 13 

The  Robber's  Tale 20 

The  Tragedy  of  Tlepolemus  and  Charite          ...  29 

Eaten  Alive 38 

The  Lost  Slippers 39 

The  Fuller's  Wife 43 

The  Three  Brothers 45 

The  Enamored  Stepmother 48 

The  Jealous  Wife 57 

The  Tale  of  the  Tub 62 

Cupid  and  Psyche 65 

NOTES 105 


INTRODUCTION 

APULEIUS.    HIS  LIFE  AND  WORKS 

Apuleius,  sometimes  called  Lucius  ^  Apuleius,  although 
there  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  correctness  of  the  prseuomen, 
was  one  of  the  most  picturesque  figures  and  bizarre  authors  in 
the  whole  range  of  literature.  He  was  born  about  125  a.d., 
the  exact  year  being  uncertam. 

Ancient  authors  in  general  are  rather  reticent  with  regard 
to  their  personal  history,  and  our  information  on  this  point 
from  other  sources  is  apt  to  be  meagre.  Cicero,  whose  life  is 
better  known  to  us  than  that  of  many  a  statesman  of  modern 
times,  Horace,  rich  in  personal  reminiscence,  Pliny,  charm- 
ingly affected  and  loquacious,  and  Apuleius,  who  takes  us  fully 
into  his  confidence,  form  a  quartet  of  striking  exceptions  to 
this  rule. 

The  Apology,  the  Florida,  and  the  last  part  of  the  Metamor- 
phoses, three  of  the  works  of  Apuleius,  are  the  sources  of 
most  of  our  information  as  to  his  life.  He  was  an  African,  a 
native  of  the  Roman  colony  of  Medaura  in  Numidia,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  twenty  miles  to  the  north  was  situated 
Thagaste,  the  birthplace  of  St.  Augustine,  another  famous 
African.  The  family  of  Apuleius  was  one  of  wealth  and  influ- 
ence. His  father,  as  one  of  the  two  chief  magistrates  of  the 
flourishing  Roman  colony,  held  an  office  corresponding  in  the 
provincial  city  to  that  of  consul  at  Rome.     At  his  death,  he 

1  This  praenomen  is  found  only  in  late  manusoripts  and  may  be  due  to  the 
fact  that,  particularly  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Metamorphoses,  Apuleius 
identifies  himself  with  Lucius,  the  hero  of  the  romance. 

vii 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

left  his  son  a  fortune  of  about  one  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
a  sum  of  perhaps  triple  the  purchasing  power  of  such  an 
amount  at  the  present  time. 

Apuleius,  during  his  earlier  years,  attended  school  at  Car- 
thage. Then,  following  what  had  become  an  almost  universal 
custom  with  young  men  of  means  who  had  literary  instincts, 
he  sojourned  at  Athens  to  complete  his  education.  Here  he 
devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  philosophy,  rhetoric,  geometry, 
music  and  poetry,  accumulating  those  vast  stores  of  informa- 
tion which  are  in  evidence  everywhere  in  his  works.  The  next 
few  years  he  passed  in  extensive  travel,  and  in  this  way  spent 
a  large  portion  of  the  fortune  left  him  by  his  father. 

On  returning  from  the  east  he  met  at  Corinth  a  body  of 
priests  of  Isis,  who  succeeded  in  gaining  so  strong  a  hold  upon 
his  lively  imagination  that  he  was  initiated  into  the  mysteries 
of  the  service  of  Isis.  Journeying  then  to  Rome,  he  became  a 
devoted  worshipper  at  the  Roman  temple  of  the  goddess  in  the 
(Campus  Martins.  Soon  his  rest  was  troubled  by  visions  and 
it  was  apparent  that  divine  will  desired  his  further  initiation 
into  the  mysteries  of  Osiris.  As  his  funds  were  now  exhausted, 
he  amassed  means  to  defray  this  additional  expense  by  devot- 
ing himself  to  the  practice  of  his  profession,  that  of  a  lawyer. 
It  may  be  remarked  that  Apuleius  possessed,  in  addition  to  his 
literary  ability,  a  very  practical  talent  for  making  money,  and 
as  often  as  he  cared  to  devote  his  energies  to  that  end,  was 
successful. 

It  was  at  this  period  that  Apuleius  perfected  his  Latin  by 
becoming  more  conversant  with  Roman  usage,  for  strange  to 
relate,  the  medium  in  which  he  produced  such  marvellous 
results  was  probably  not  his  native  tongue.  He  was  of  course 
familiar  with  Greek,  the  literary  tongue  of  the  east.  We  are 
not  c(!rtain  as  to  what  language  he  spoke  in  liis  youth;  although 
it  may  have  been  a  jjrovincial  Latin  or  (J reek,  it  is  most  proba- 
ble that  it  was  Punic,  a  Semitic  tongue  of  the  same  group  as 
Hebrew.      Ai)uleius    may    have   composed    his    romance,    the 


LIFE   AND    WORKS   OF    APULI^US  ix 

Metamorphoses,  during  the  Roman  sojourn,  but  it  is  more 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  wrote  it  on  his  return  home. 
An  inveterate  traveller,  he  was  constantly  moving  from  one 
point  of  interest  to  another  until  the  period  of  his  marriage. 

It  was  while  returning  from  a  trip  to  Alexandria,  the  capital 
of  Egypt,  that  Apuleius  fell  ill  at  Oea,  the  modern  Tripoli, 
where  the  remarkable  incidents  occurred  which  gave  occasion 
for  the  composition  of  the  Apologia,  or  Apology,  a  unique  vol- 
ume of  human  experience  and  the  sole  extant  specimen  of 
forensic  oratory  from  the  period  of  the  empire. 

It  appears  that  in  his  student  days  Apuleius  had  been  on 
terms  of  close  intimacy  with  a  certain  Pontianus  who  lived  in 
Oea  with  his  mother  Pudentilla,  who  had  lost  her  husband 
some  thirteen  years  before.  Her  father-in-law  had  become 
very  pressing  in  his  endeavors  to  have  her  ally  herself  with 
another  of  his  sons,  Cincius,  that  her  wealth  might  not  be  lost 
to  his  family.  He  was  able  to  hold  over  the  lady  the  threat  of 
disinheriting  her  two  sons,  Pontianus  and  Pudens,  as  he  had  been 
appointed  their  guardian  by  his  son's  will.  It  was  therefore 
fortunate  for  Pudentilla  that  he  died  at  this  critical  moment. 

The  lady  so  long  a  widow,  now  freed  from  embarrassing  im- 
portunity, felt  disposed  to  follow  her  own  inclination  in  the 
choice  of  a  second  husband.  Her  sons  were  not  averse  to  such 
a  reasonable  wish,  but  inasmuch  as  their  hopes  of  ultimately 
attaining  independent  fortune  rested  upon  the  disposition 
which  their  mother  should  make  of  her  wealth,  they  were 
desirous,  Pontianus  in  particular,  that  the  choice  of  their 
mother  should  fall  upon  some  one  who  would  be  well  disposed 
toward  them.  At  this  juncture  Apuleius  appeared  at  Oea. 
What  more  natural  than  that  his  former  student  friend  should 
call  upon  the  indisposed  traveller  and  upon  his  recovery  enter- 
tain him  at  the  home  of  his  mother  and  persuade  him  to  remain 
at  Oea  during  the  winter  ? 

Although  Pontianus  had  ulterior  motives,  he  was  sufficiently 
wise  to  conceal  them  until  a  favorable  occasion  for  their  dis- 


X  INTRODUCTION 

closure  presented  itself.  Apuleius  bad  delivered  during  his 
stay  one  of  the  public  lectures  for  which  be  was  so  famous,  and 
had  aroused  his  auditors  to  a  high  pitch  of  enthusiasm.  At 
the  close  of  the  lecture  the  people  entreated  him  to  do  their 
city  the  honor  of  becoming  one  of  its  citizens.  This  was  Pon- 
tianus'  opportunity.  He  proposed  that  Apuleius  marry  bis 
mother  Pudentilla,  thereby  acceding  to  the  request  of  the 
citizens  to  make  Oea  his  home,  consummating  the  wishes  of  the 
widow,  and  freeing  his  friend  from  the  apprehension  of  an  un- 
congenial step-father. 

The  lady  was  no  longer  in  the  first  flush  of  youth  nor,  we 
are  told,  was  she  fair  to  look  upon.  Apuleius  married  her, 
however,  and  soon  came  to  esteem  her  for  her  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart.  He  settled  down  and  we  hear  of  no  more  trav- 
elling. But  there  was  trouble  brewing.  A  third  brother  of 
Pudentilla's  first  husband,  angered  because  she  had  rejected 
his  brother  Cincius,  joined  with  Pontianus'  father-in-law,  who 
had  great  expectations  in  regard  to  the  wealth  of  his  son-in- 
law's  mother,  to  vent  their  resentment  upon  Apuleius.  Accu- 
sations were  brought  against  him  that  he  had  won  the  heart  of 
the  widow  by  sorcery,  that  he  was  a  man  of  immoral  life,  and 
that  he  had  married  the  mature  lady  solely  for  her  wealth. 

The  trial  took  place  at  Sabrata  and  was  presided  over  by 
Claudius  Maximus,  proconsul  of  Africa,  who  was  attending  the 
assizes  there.  It  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  time  of 
the  republic  the  office  of  proconsul  of  Africa  was  one  of  the 
most  dignified  and  lucrative  at  the  disposal  of  the  state  and 
that  it  still  retained  something  of  its  ancient  prestige. 

Apuleius,  it  appears,  had  no  difficulty  in  refuting  the  charges, 
and  secured  an  acquittal.  In  view  of  his  overpowering 
curiosity  with  regard  to  magic  and  his  interest  in  it,  one  may 
readily  believe  tliat  he  did  dabble  in  it,  but  the  particular 
charges  on  this  occasion  appear  to  have  been  frivolous  and 
absurd.  The  crass  indecency  of  portions  of  the  Metamorphoses 
indicates  a  moral  sense  none  too  delicate,  but  as  to  the  charge 


LIFE   AND   WORKS   OF   APULEIUS  XI 

that  he  married  for  money,  the  most  that  ought  to  be  said  is 
that  this  consideration  probably  influenced  him.  Despite  the 
acquittal,  he  left  Oea,  and  settled  in  Carthage,  where  he  gained 
great  fame  as  poet,  philosopher,  and  rhetorician.  It  is  to  the 
public  lectures  which  he  delivered  while  at  Carthage  that  we 
owe  the  work  known  as  the  Florida,  nosegays  culled  from 
these  flowery  productions.  Carthage  so  esteemed  him  that  she 
raised  a  statue  in  his  honor  and  gave  him  the  office  of  chief 
priest  of  the  province,  which  conferred  upon  the  holder  the 
leading  place  in  the  provincial  council. 

Apuleius  was  a  voluminous  writer.  There  are  extant  in 
addition  to  the  three  works  already  mentioned  one  on  the  life 
and  philosophy  of  Plato,  one  on  the  demon  of  Socrates,  and 
one  on  the  universe.  None  of  these  latter  works  is  of  any  value 
and  no  one  save  the  specialist  would  be  repaid  for  the  time 
spent  in  perusing  them.  The  Apology,  however,  as  a  document 
of  human  experience,  and  as  a  specimen  of  forensic  oratory 
and  the  Metamorphoses  for  its  intrinsic  merit  and  interest,  and 
as  a  precursor  of  the  modern  novel,  are  exceptions,  and  deserve 
attention.  Many  other  works  of  Apuleius  have  perished,  for 
he  wrote  on  mathematics,  music,  astronomy,  medicine,  botany, 
and  zoology.  We  hear  also  of  the  Hermagoras,  a  collection  of 
ancient  love  stories. 

He  was  much  admired  during  his  life  and  his  fame  survived 
him.  He  possessed  vast  stores  of  ill-digested  information  and 
was  characterized  by  a  vivid  imagination,  just  such  qualities 
as  would  appeal  to  a  decadent  age,  for  such  it  was  in  the 
history  of  Latin  literature. 

The  works  of  Apuleius  were  known  to  St.  Augustine,  also  a 
native  of  Africa,  who  flourished  some  three  hundred  years 
later.  Of  these  works  the  Metamorphoses  is  by  far  the  most 
important,  and  it  constitutes  one  of  the  curiosities  of  literature. 
In  style  we  know  of  nothing  so  cloying,  rhythmic  and  mellif- 
luous. The  prose  of  D'Annunzio  has  something  of  the  same 
effect  and  is  touched  with  the  same  taint  of  decadence. 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

It  was  long  thought  and  is  still  maintained  in  some  quarters, 
that  there  was  such  a  phenomenon  as  African  Latinity,  a 
product  of  purely  African  growth  with  a  richness  and  profu- 
sion of  color  largely  due  to  the  Semitic  element  in  the  blood 
of  the  people.  It  is  now  generally  conceded  that  the  style  of 
Apuleius,  mainly  characterized  by  archaisms,  floridity  and 
rhythm,  is  nothing  more  than  an  extreme  example  of  the 
Asiatic  school  of  writing,  so  well  known  in  strictly  classical 
times  both  in  the  prose  of  Greece  and  Rome,  a  style  that  had 
its  influence  even  on  Cicero. 

One  may  not  be  utterly  lost,  artistically  speaking,  if  one  does 
take  a  certain  pleasure  in  the  literary  form  in  which  such  a 
work  as  the  Metamorphoses  is  cast ;  but  a  little  goes  a  good 
way.  If  continued,  it  becomes  wearisome  and  cloying.  It  is 
therefore  best  appreciated  in  the  short  story  and  it  is  in  this 
form  that  it  is  used  in  the  Metamorphoses ;  for,  as  we  shall  see, 
this  work  is  little  more  than  a  collection  of  such  stories  loosely 
joined  together.  There  is  also  this  to  be  said,  that  the  style 
in  which  the  Metamorphoses  is  composed  is  perfectly  adapted 
to  that  romance  which  is  to  a  large  extent  unreal,  mystical 
and  fantastic. 

The  Metamorphoses  was  known  as  the  "  Golden  Ass "  of 
Apuleius :  ass,  because  the  hero  Lucius,  as  the  result  of  clumsy 
dabbling  in  magic,  was  transformed  into  that  beast  instead  of 
into  a  bird  as  he  had  intended ;  golden,  suggesting  the  idea  of 
excellence,  perhaps  a  hint  of  the  romantic.  Walter  Pater  con- 
veys the  idea  when,  in  Marias  the  Epicurean,  he  entitles  the 
chapter  describing  the  influence  upon  the  boy  Marius  of  the 
perusal  of  this  romance.  The  Golden  Bonk. 

There  is  a  work  falsely  attributed  to  Lucian  entitled  Xwcms, 
or  the  Ass.  This  story,  in  so  far  as  it  has  to  do  with  the 
transformation  and  tlie  results,  is  essentially  that  told  by 
Apuleius,  but  the  style  is  absolutely  dilferent  and  the  episodes 
characteristic  (jf  thi;  latter  work  are  lacking. 

It  is  generally  sup])oscd  that  both  stories  were  derived  from 


LIFE   AND   WORKS   OF   APULEIUS  xiii 

a  lost  work  of  which  mention  is  made,  Tlie  Ass  of  Lucius  of 
Patras.  However  this  may  be,  we  are  justified  in  saying 
that  the  unique  qualities  of  Apuleius'  story  are  due  solely  to 
his  own  talents. 

The  eleventh  book  of  the  Metamorphoses  changes  from  the 
collection  of  short  stories  which  we  shall  presently  discuss,  to 
a  narration  which  we  seem  justified  in  considering  a  personal 
account  of  religious  experience,  and  we  find  a  curious  identifi- 
cation of  Lucius  the  hero,  and  Apuleius,  the  author  of  the 
work. 


THE  ORIGIN  AND  EXTENSION  OF  THE  TERM  "  MILESIAN 

TALE " 1 

Short  stories  of  amours,  adventure  and  magic,  such  as 
have  for  ages  flourished  in  the  Orient,  became  known  to  the 
Greeks  of  Asia  Minor.  Collections  of  these  tales  may  have 
been  written  down  and  given  the  name  of  the  city  or  region  in 
which  they  were  compiled  or  whose  life  they  purported  to 
depict.  Thus  we  hear  of  Milesian  Tales.  Such  tales  spread 
to  Italy  and  become  popular  in  Magna  Graecia  even  before 
they  flourished  in  Greece  proper,  and  the  city  of  Sybaris  lent 
its  name  to  the  Sybaritic  Tales."^  Mention  is  also  made  of 
Trojan,  Pallenian,  Naxian,  Sicilian,  and  Bithynian  collec- 
tions.' 

Since  the  tale  of  the  Matron  of  Ephesus  in  the  Satyricon  of 
Petronius  (generally  regarded  as  giving  a  fair  idea  of  what 
Milesian  tales  were  like)  would  in  all  probability  belong  to  an 
Ephesian  collection,  and  since  the  extant  specimen  of  the 
Sybaritic  contains  nothing  strikingly  characteristic,*  not  even 


1  The  most  complete  account  of  this  obscure  type  may  be  found  in  Philolo- 
gus  LXVI,  Zk  Milexiaca  des  Aristides.  The  conclusions  there  deduced  differ 
somewhat  from  those  suggested  in  this  article. 

2  Sybaritic  Tales  are  mentioned  by  jElian,  Historise  Varise  14,  20.  The 
story  he  cites  is  the  sole  extant  specimen,  and  it  is  mildly  facetious  in 
character. 

8  Notes  prefixed  to  the  sketches  of  Parthenius  state  that  they  were  derived 
from  collections  called  Troica,  Pal/eniaca,  Naxiaca,  Slcelica,  Bithynica,  as 
well  as  Milesiuca.  See,  however,  what  is  said  concerning  local  histories,  note 
pagexviii.  For  this  type  of  title  as  applied  to  romances,  compare  the  titles  of 
some  of  the  full  h.-ngth  Greek  romances  of  a  later  period,  the  Buhylonica  of 
Iambli(!hus,  the  scene  of  the  romance  being  laid  in  Babylonia  ;  the  .FAhiopica 
of  ndiodorus  ;  the  fJyprica  of  Xenoi)lion  of  Cyprus  and  the  Ephesiaca  of 
Xenoplion  of  P^phesus. 

*  But  see  Kobde,  Der  Griediischc  Jimuaii,  587. 

xiv 


THE  MILESIAN  TALE  XV 

the  element  of  lewdness  wliicli  is  supposed  to  be  an  essential 
of  the  Milesian  tale,  it  seems  probable  that  these  different 
classes  were  but  different  names  for  a  general  class  of  stories, 
the  main  or  sole  purpose  of  which  was  entertainment.^  It  was 
quite  natural  that  those  gifted  and  impressionable  lonians  of 
Miletus  should  excel  in  this  type  of  story  and  that  the  word 
"  Milesian  "  should  come  to  stand  for  the  whole  genre.  These 
Milesian  tales  are  of  considerable  interest  as  the  forerunners 
of  the  more  elaborate  Greek  Romances  2  which  flourished  from 
the  second  to  the  fifth  centuries,  of  which  the  Da2:)hne  and 
CJiloe  of  Longus  is  the  best  known.  They  are  the  prototypes 
of  those  tales  so  popular  in  France  and  Italy,  of  which 
Boccaccio's  are  the  most  famous. 

Parthenius,  Virgil's  Greek  teacher,  has  been  thought  to  give 
the  clearest  idea  of  what  the  Milesian  tales  were,  as  the  fol- 
lowing quotation  from  Dunlop's  History  of  Fiction  shows.  ^ 
"  But  though  the  Milesian  tales  have  perished,  of  their  nature 
some  idea  may  be  formed  from  the  stories  of  Parthenius  of 
Nicaea,  many  of  which,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  are  extracted 
from  these  ancient  fables,  or  at  least  are  written  in  their 
spirit," 

It  is  indeed  likely  that  those  tales,  the  scene  of  which  is 
laid  in  Miletus,  and  the  themes  of  which  are  for  the  most  part 
of  inconstancy,  were  derived  directly  from  collections  of 
Milesian  tales.  It  is  also  true  that  notes  either  by  Parthenius 
or  by  a  later  hand,  were  prefixed  to  several  of  the  tales,  stating 
that  they  were  taken  from  Milesian  collections.  However,  it 
is  well  known  that  Parthenius  explicitly  stated  that  he  com- 

1  A  suggestion  somewhat  similar  is  made  by  Purser  in  the  excursus  on  the 
Milesian  Tale  in  his  excellent  edition  of  Cupid  and  Psyche. 

2  The  3d  edition  (1914)  of  Rohde's  work  cited  above  contains  a  re'snme'  by 
Schmid  of  the  latest  discoveries  and  theories  in  regard  to  the  Greek  Romances. 

The  most  illuminating  work,  however,  on  the  Greek  novel  is  the  extensive 
study  which  forms  the  introduction  to  Calderini's  translation,  Le  avventure 
di  C'herea  e  CaUiroe,  Turin  1913. 

8  Dunlop's  ^isfory  of  Fiction  (revised  by  Wilson),  Vol.  I,  chap.  1,  p.  11. 


xvi  INTRODUCTION 

posed  these  thirty-six  skeleton  tales  called  Erotic  Experi- 
ences for  his  friend  the  Latin  poet,  Cornelius  Gallus,  to  serve 
as  material  for  elegies  and  other  poems.  The  very  meagre- 
ness  of  those  which  can  with  certainty  be  called  Milesian,  pre- 
vents their  giving  us  an  adequate  notion  of  what  Milesian 
tales  were. 

The  German  scholar,  Christ,  in  his  History  of  Greek  Litera- 
ture^ suggests  that  the  story  of  the  Matron  of  Ephesus  in 
Petronius  furnishes  us  a  good  example  of  the  Milesian  tale 
and  this  is  midoubtedly  correct  in  the  early  and  restricted 
meaning  of  the  term.  To  this  we  may  add  the  story  of  the 
Lad  of  Pergamus  and  The  Solicitous  Mother  in  the  same 
work.  Christ  seems  also  to  make  a  proper  distinction,  when 
he  says  that  the  forerunners  of  the  Greek  novel  were  the 
Milesian  Tales  of  Aristides  and  the  Erotic  Experiences  of 
Parthenius. 

Plutarch,  in  his  Life  of  Crassus,'^  indicates  clearly  the  un- 
savory character  of  the  early  Milesian  tale.  He  says,  in 
speaking  of  the  events  following  the  defeat  of  Crassus,  the 
Roman  general  at  Carrhae,  "  but  the  vizier,  calling  together 
the  senate  of  Seleusia,  laid  before  it  certain  books,  the  work  of 
Aristides,  his  Milesiaca;  these  had  not  been  forged,  but  had 
really  been  found  in  the  baggage  of  Roscius,  and  gave  the 
vizier  a  good  opening  for  directing  insulting  remarks  against 
the  Romans,  who  not  even  in  time  of  war  could  refrain  from 
such  writings  and  doings." 

It  will  be  well  to  note  that  the  word  used  to  designate 
Milesian  tales  in  the  passage  just  cited  is  Milesiaca,  the  Greek 
neuter  plural  of  the  adjective  meaning  Milesian,  and  that  this 
is  the  word  usually  although  not  exclusively  employed  in 
Greek  in  referring  to  them. 

We  are  to  understand  that  the  tales  were  normally  written  in 
prose.     Dunlop's  remark  to  the  effect  that  a  couplet  in  Ovid, 

1  firip.clti.irhi>  Literaturgeschichte ,  4th  revised  ed.  84G. 

2  Plutarch,  Crussus,  32. 


THE    MILESIAN  TALE  XVll 

lunxit  Aristides  Milesia  carmina  secum 
Pulsus  Aristides  nee  tamen  urbe  sua  est, 

would  indicate  that  some  of  these  tales  had  been  written  in 
verse,  is  of  course  based  upon  the  reading  carmina,  '*  songs  "  or 
"  poems."  The  reading  now  universally  accepted  is  crimina, 
"  charges."  The  passage  therefore  states  that  the  slanderous 
or  rather  scandalous  Milesian  tales  which  Aristides  wrote  in 
connection  with  his  history  (for  so  we  understand  the  words 
iuxit  secum)  did  not  cause  his  banishment.^ 

The  only  evidence  that  these  tales  appeared  in  poetic  form 
is  derived  from  such  poems  as  Phaedrus  III,  10,  and  Babrius 
116,  where  the  subject  is  quite  in  the  style  of  the  early  lewd 
Milesian  tale.  This,  however,  is  inadequate  evidence  on  which 
to  base  a  statement  that  Milesian  tales  as  such  were  sometimes 
written  in  metrical  form.  That  poets  of  the  type  of  Phaedrus 
and  Babrius  should  select  as  a  subject  for  a  poem  a  Milesian 
theme  of  the  earlier  type  is  quite  natural.  Had  Cornelius 
Gallus  composed  elegies  upon  those  themes  furnished  him  by 
Parthenius,  and  purporting  to  be  derived  from  Milesian  sources, 
we  should  hardly  classify  them  as  Milesian  tales. 

This  same  Aristides  is  mentioned  by  Ovid  in  another  couplet 
wherein  he  states  that  Sisenna,  a  Roman  writer,  translated* 
Aristides  and  that  the  latter  inserted  risque  stories^  in  his 


1  Rohde,  Rhein.  Mns.  58,  128,  understands  secum  to  refer  to  crimina  aud 
the  phrase  to  mean  "joined  together  the  trifling  Milesian  tales." 

2  There  are  preserved  of  this  translation  nine  short  fragments.    Of  these 
only  numbers  1,  2  and  9  are  suggestive  of  the  character  of  the  tales. 

(1)  Nisi  comminus  excidisset,  quanti  dantur?  tauti  inqult  Olumpias ; 
simul  hoc  dicens  suavium  dedit ;  indicating  a  love  tale. 

(2)  "  P}-oiii  data  aliquid  quod  domi  habebis,"  inquit,  "quod  tibi  non 
mayni  stabit,"  suggestive  of  the  wheedling  words  of  a  courtesan. 

(9)  indicative  of  their  lewdness;  Fr.  Hist.  Rom.  Peter,  Vol.  I,  2d  ed.297. 
8  Vei-tit  Aristiden  Sisenna  nee  obfuit  iUi. 

Historiae  turpes  inseruisse  iocos.    Trist.  II,  443. 
Rohde,  Rhein.  Mus.  48,  128,  understands  historiae  to  mean  Siseniia's  activ- 
ity as  an  historian.    Our  interpretation  is  that  of  Heinsius  and  supports  our 
understanding  of  the  phrase  secum  in  the  couplet  previously  cited. 


xviii  INTRODUCTION 

history.  Chassang  *  suggested  that  Aristides  may  have  written 
a  history  of  Miletus  and  may  have  cited  numerous  tales  illus- 
trative of  Milesian  life.  This  suggestion  of  Chassang  is 
now  quite  convincing,  since  it  has  been  definitely  ascertained 
that  the  term  Milesiaca  was  applied  to  local  histories  of 
Miletus.2 

This  view  is  still  further  supported  by  the  fact  that  Aristides 
wrote  a  number  of  local  historical  works  of  which  the  titles 
and  some  fragments  have  been  preserved.  Compare,  therefore, 
his  title,  Milesiaca,  which  we  conjecture  to  be  primarily  an 
historical  work,  with  his  Italica,  SiJielica  and  Persica,  which 
we  know  to  be  historical  works.^ 

We  seem  therefore  reasonably  justified  in  stating  definitely 
that  the  term  Milesiaca  was  first  applied  to  local  histories  of 
the  city,  and  then  to  tales  illustrative^  of  Milesian  life  and 
characterized  by  lubricity,  such  tales  in  fact  as  are  referred  to 
in  Plutarch. 

That  Aristides  was  the  collector  of  these  tales  rather  than 
their  author,  and  that  the  term  came  to  be  applied  to  lewd 
stories  in  general  are  at  least  suggested  by  a  passage  in  the 
Amoves  of  Lucian.^  It  is  generally  conceded  that  this  work  is 
falsely  attributed  to  Lucian,  but  for  our  purpose  the  particular 
author  is  a  matter  of  indifference.  A  character  in  the  work, 
speaking  of  certain  lewd  stories,  said  that  he  might  well 
believe  that  he  were  Aristides  listening  in  delight  to  Milesian 
tales. 


1  Histoire  du  Roman  duns  V Antiquity. 

2  Vogt,  Jahrb.  f.  Phil.  Suppl.  XXXVII,  (509.  For  the  general  subject  of  local 
histories  see  Christ,  op.  clt.  575.  Cf.  also,  Rohde,  3(1  ed.,  Schmid's  appendix, 
p.  (J17. 

8  For  the  fragments  of  Aristides  consult  Miillcr,  Hht.  Grae.c.  Vol.  IV,  320 
seq.  Our  argument  presumes  that  the  Aristides  who  wrote  the  Milesiaca  and 
he  who  wrote  the  liistorical  works  are  one  and  the  same  indivi<lual. 

*  For  a  convincing  refutation  of  the  theory  that  the  Milesiaca  was  a  full- 
lengtli  novel  rather  than  a  collection  of  short  stories,  consult  Rohde,  Zum 
Grirrhisrhpn  Romtiii,  Khcin.  IMus.  4H,  110  seq. 

<>  Anwres,  I. 


THE   MILESIAN   TALE  xix 

The  first  step  therefore,  in  the  use  of  the  term  Milesiaca, 
was  its  application  to  local  histories  of  Miletus ;  the  second 
step,  its  use  to  signify  stories  illustrative  of  Milesian  life  and 
generally  characterized  by  lubricity.  The  third  and  last  step 
in  the  extension  of  the  term  is  suggested  by  a  passage  in  the 
life  of  Albinus  in  the  Augustan  Histories}  In  a  letter  sent  to 
the  Senate  by  Severus,  he  remarks  that  among  other  facts  he 
is  grieved  to  see  that  many  of  them  praise  Albinus  for  his 
devotion  to  literature,  while  as  a  matter  of  fact  he,  interested 
in  childish  nursery  rhymes,  wastes  his  time  on  the  tales  of 
Apuleius,  and  in  literary  dilettantism.^  Now  in  the  Latin, 
the  adjective  Milesia  with  the  word  fabida  or  historia  under- 
stood is  usually  employed  to  signify  "  Milesian  Tale."  In  the 
passage  to  which  reference  is  made,  the  phrase  iyiter  Milesias 
Punicas  Apulei  sui  is  used,  and  the  word  Milesias  has  to  such 
an  extent  lost  its  original  meaning  "  Milesian,"  that  it  is  used 
as  a  noun  and  is  itself  modified  by  the  adjective  Punicas. 
The  two  words  mean  "  African  Tales  of  Apuleius,"  so 
called  of  course  because  Apuleius  was  a  native  of  Africa. 
A  prettier  bit  of  evidence  could  not  be  adduced  to  prove 
that  the  word  Milesia  is  here  used  in  the  general  sense 
of  tale;  and  this  is  the  third  step  in  the  application  of  the 
term. 

The  interesting  question  arises  as  to  how  early  this  broader 
interpretation  was  applied  to  the  term,  for  it  is  highly  prob- 
able that  such  a  meaning  would  be  acquired  only  by  gradual 
growth.  There  is  nothing  very  conclusive  on  this  point,  but 
we   may  venture   a   suggestion.     The   episode   of    Cupid  and 


1  Scriptores  Hist.  Aug.  Peter,  Vol.  I,  Clodius  Albinus,  12,  12,  maior  fuit 
dolor  quod  ilium  pro  litterato  laudandum  plerique  duxlstis,  cum  ille  neniis 
qxdhusdnm.  anUihus  occupatus  inter  Milesias  Punicas  Apulei  sui  et  ludicra 
litteraria  consonpscpret. 

2  In  an  earlier  chapter,  II,  of  the  same  work,  we  learn  that  Albinus'  inter- 
est in  Milesian  tales  was  not  confined  to  reading  them:  Milesias  nonnulli 
eiusdem  esse  dicunt,  quorum  fama  nonignobilis  habetur  quamvis mediocriter 
scriptae  sunt. 


XX  INTRODUCTION 

Psyche  ^  in  Apuleius  is  called  by  him  a  Milesian  Tale.^  This 
tale  is  undoubtedly  of  popular  origin,  and  in  no  sense  an  in- 
vention of  Apuleius.  The  treatment  of  the  myth  as  an  erotic 
romance  is  quite  in  the  style  and  taste  of  the  Alexandrian 
School,  which  in  its  first  or  literary  period  flourished  from 
about  323  to  30  b.c.  If  this  story  in  the  form  transmitted  by 
Apuleius  owes  its  peculiar  treatment  as  an  erotic  romance  to 
the  influence  of  Alexandria,  we  may  place  it  before  30  b.c. 
and  perhaps  well  along  toward  100  b.c,  the  conjectured  time 
of  Aristides'  ^  death. 

It  may  therefore  be  safe  to  say  that  the  term  Milesian 
was  applied  certainly  in  the  second  century  a.d.  and  perhaps 
as  early  as  100  b.c,  to  any  tale  written  or  narrated  for  enter- 
tainment and  was,  indeed,  the  short  story  of  antiquity.  That 
this  last  statement  is  true  will  be  seen  more  clearly  after  an 
examination  of  the  Metamorphoses,  popularly  known  as  the 
Golden  Ass  of  Apuleius,  the  immediate  precursor  of  the  Greek 
Komance.  There  is,  however,  this  difference  among  others 
between  the  Metamorphoses  as  a  whole  and  the  Greek  Romances  : 
the  Greek  works  are  erotic  romances ;  in  Apuleius  love  is 
entirely  episodic. 

That  the  work  of  Apuleius  is  nothing  but  a  collection  of 
loosely  connected  Milesian  tales  in  the  broader  sense  of  the 
term  is  clearly  indicated  by  the  author  himself  in  his  intro- 


1  On  the  folklore  element  in  this  tale  consult  Friedlander,  Roman  Life 
anrl  Maniiers  under  the  Early  Empire,  Vol.  4,  pp.  88-123,  also  Reitzenstein's 
brilliant  study,  Das  Marchen  von  Amor  %md  Psyche  hei  Apuleius. 

J.  E.  Schroeder's  De  amoris  et  Psyches  Fabella  Apuleiana  nova  quadam 
ratione  explicata,  is  an  application  of  Freud's  sex  obsession  theory  to  the  tale. 

2  Apul.  Met.  IV,  33,  propter  Milesiae  conditorem.  Some  suppose  that  the 
word  Milesidc  refers  to  the  work  as  a  whole.  It  seems  more  natural  to 
understand  it  as  referring  to  the  particular  tale  then  being  told.  This  inter- 
pretation is  at  least  supported  by  the  fact  that  the  shrine  of  Apollo  near 
Miletus  has  been  mentioned  just  previously  in  connection  with  this  story. 
It  is  also  significant  tha't  the  singular,  Milexia,  is  used  in  this  connection, 
while  the  plural  is  used  in  the  passage  cited  from  the  life  of  Albinus. 

*  Frag.  Hist.  Oraec  Muller,  p.  320. 


THE   MILESIAN   TALE  Xxi 

ductory  remarks,  where  he  writes :  "  I  will  now  string  to- 
gether various  tales  in  that  Milesian  style  Avhich  is  familiar 
to  you."  1  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  story  of  the  Metamorplioses 
told  by  Lucius,  a  young  Greek,  in  the  tirst  person,  from  the 
beginning  of  his  adventures  to  the  end,  when  he  makes  his 
entrance  into  the  order  of  the  priests  of  Isis,  serves  as  a 
means  of  joining  together  a  number  of  stories  on  a  wide  range 
of  subjects.  These  are  in  part  stories  of  experiences  of  Lu- 
cius himself  and  partly  narratives  entirely  distinct  from  the 
main  plot,  but  told  by  characters  appearing  in  it.  This  device 
is  familiar  to  us  from  its  use  in  the  Decameron  of  Boccaccio. 
It  is  therefore  by  an  examination  of  this  treasure-house  that 
we  form  our  clearest  conception  of  the  scope  and  character  of 
the  Milesian  tales  as  the  term  seems  to  have  been  used  shortly 
after  the  time  of  Aristides.  There  are  readily  detected  thir- 
teen tales  entirely  distinct  from  the  main  narrative ;  fifteen, 
if  we  divide  the  robber's  tale  into  its  three  separate  parts. 

These  tales  are  exceedingly  varied  in  character.  There  is 
the  early  lubricious  Milesian  type  as  exemplified  by  the  Tale 
of  the  Tub  and  the  FuHer's  Wife,  both  of  which  reappear  in 
Boccaccio ;  the  merely  risque  type,  such  as  that  of  the  Lost 
Slippers;  the  tale  of  the  Enamoured  Stepmother;  the  cruel 
vengeance  of  the  Jealous  Wife ;  several  tales  of  witchcraft,  un- 
doubtedly of  folklore  origin ;  the  celebrated  tale  of  Cupid  and 
Psyche;  the  elaborately  tragic  story  of  Tlepolemus  and  Cha- 
rite;  and  several  others. 

The  plots  vary  from  that  of  a  simple  incident  as  narrated 
in  the  tale  of  Diophanes,  the  Chaldaean,  to  the  intricate  and 
involved  plot  of  the  tale  of  the  Jealous  Wife.  In  length  they 
run  from  about  a  page  of  the  Teubner  text  to  the  fifty  pages 
of  Cupid  and  Psyche. 


1  Apul.  Met.  I,  I,  At  ego  tibi  sermone  isto  Milesio  varias  fahulas  conseram. 
These  words,  together  with  the  evidence  cited  in  connection  with  the  story 
of  Cupid  and  Psyche  and  with  that  of  the  passage  from  the  life  of  Albinus, 
seem  to  prove  the  point  conclusively. 


THE  APULEIAN  SHORT  STORY 

In  reading  over  these  tales  with  an  idea  of  classification,  one 
finds  that  love  or  one  of  its  debased  relations,  passion  or  lust, 
may  be  said  to  form  the  foundation  for  the  greater  number  of 
them.  But  one  loses  sight  of  this  in  wonder  at  the  involved 
plot.  Many  of  the  tales  show  much  unconscious  humor  which 
renders  them  highly  entertaining ;  in  some  of  the  others  we 
enjoy  laughing  with  the  author  instead  of  at  him. 

Diophanes  the  Chaldean.  —  The  tale  of  the  false  prophet 
simply  makes  an  appeal  to  one's  sense  of  humor.  A  merchant 
whose  only  stock  in  trade  is  his  nimble  wit,  and  whose  place 
of  business  is  any  street  corner,  professes  to  be  able  to  foretell 
fortunate  dates  for  journeys,  and  is  prospering  exceedingly. 

A  grateful  merchant  has  just  received  definite  information  as 
to  exactly  the  best  moment  for  dispatching  a  vessel  laden  with 
rich  merchandise  and  is  generously  counting  out  a  hundred 
pieces  of  gold  for  the  seer,  when  the  latter,  feeling  his  cloak 
pulled  from  behind,  turns,  recognizes  an  old  friend,  and  en- 
gages enthusiastically  in  conversation  with  him.  "  And  tell 
me,"  says  the  friend,  "how  did  your  journey  speed  after  I  left 
you  ?  " 

The  seer  carried  away  by  the  memories  of  his  terrible  mis- 
fortunes overwhelms  his  friend  with  a  sad  tale  of  shipwreck 
and  loss  of  property  which  left  him  only  his  life  to  be  grateful 
for.  Loud  and  mocking  laughter  from  the  throng  about  causes 
him  to  turn  in  time  to  see  his  disillusioned  patron  hurriedly 
seizing  his  gold  and  departing. 

The  Lost  Slippers.  —  Tlie  story  of  Senator  Barbarus  in  the 
tale  of  the  Lost  ISHppcrH,  his  jealousy  of  his  beautiful  wife,  and 
the  pleasant  denouement  owing  to  the  quick  wit  of  her  lover, 


THE    ArULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXIU 

emphasizes  this  gentleman's  cleverness  to  such  an  extent  that 
jealousy,  intrigue  and  unfaithfulness  become  minor  incidents 
of  the  history. 

That  his  beautiful  wife  may  not  even  be  looked  upon  by  any 
one  other  than  himself  is  the  chief  desire  of  Senator  Barbarus. 
In  a  necessary  absence  he  confides  her  to  the  care  of  a  confiden- 
tial slave,  who  is  strictly  warned  not  to  lose  sight  of  her ;  indeed, 
not  to  loose  his  grasp  of  her  garment  in  his  master's  absence. 

A  young  man  who  has  heard  rumors  of  the  lady's  beauty, 
offers  the  slave  a  large  sum  of  money  for  himself  and  another 
for  his  mistress  if  she  consents  to  receive  him  as  a  lover  during 
her  husband's  absence.  Cupidity  triumphs  over  the  virtue  of 
both  slave  and  lady.  The  lover  is  admitted,  the  doors  barred, 
but  soon  the  master  unexpectedly  returns.  The  lover  hastily 
escapes  by  a  back  door ;  the  master  comes  in  somewhat  sus- 
picious because  of  the  locked  door  and  the  delay.  In  the 
morning  he  sees  a  pair  of  slippers  in  his  wife's  room.  He 
orders  the  slave  bound  and  is  leading  him  to  the  torture  when 
the  lover,  seeing  the  sad  procession,  hurls  himself  upon  the 
bound  slave,  beating  him  and  demanding  his  slippers  which  he 
says  the  slave  stole  at  the  baths  the  day  before. 

The  senator  with  that  readiness  to  be  convinced  of  the  falsity 
of  his  suspicions  which  goes  far  toward  making  such  a  tale 
move  smoothly,  has  the  slave  unbound,  bids  him  return  the 
slippers,  and  feels  gratitude  toward  the  young  man  who  has 
saved  him  from  ill  treating  a  faithful  servant. 

The  Robber's  Tale.  —  The  humor  of  the  robbers'  tales,  the 
three  told  by  a  member  of  the  band,  seems  to  lie  mainly  in 
one's  constant  and  somewhat  ludicrous  feeling  of  surprise  at 
being  given  the  robber's  point  of  view  in  sharp  contrast  to  the 
conventional  attitude  of  the  possessor  of  portable  property. 

The  first  tale  is  of  the  bravery  and  death  of  Lamachus. 
The  robbers  approaching  Thebes,  inquire  as  to  the  financial 
rating  of  the  inhabitants  and  decide  to  turn  their  attention  to 
a  certain  miser. 


xxiv  INTRODUCTION 

In  the  dead  of  night  the  leader  approaches  the  humble 
dwelling.  He  put  his  hand  through  the  orifice  intended  for 
the  insertion  of  the  key,  meaning  to  raise  the  bars.  We  are 
told  that  he  does  this  "  in  all  the  confidence  of  his  tried  valor." 
But  the  miser,  "  that  vilest  of  all  two-footed  things,"  was 
ready  for  him.  In  a  silence  which  seemed  to  the  narrator 
inexcusably  deceitful,  he  crept  to  the  door  and  drove  a  spike 
through  the  hand  of  the  brave  Lamachus,  pinning  him  to  the 
door.  Then  the  miser,  ascending  to  the  roof,  called  upon  his 
neighbors  for  aid. 

It  is  significant  that  he  did  not  call  for  aid  against  the 
robbers,  but  asked  them  to  aid  him  in  putting  out  a  sudden 
fire  which  from  his  house,  where  it  had  started,  would  threaten 
theirs.  This  appeal  to  self  interest  was  successful.  As  the 
neighbors  gathered,  the  robbers  were  in  a  quandary.  They 
must  decide  between  saving  themselves  and  deserting  their 
comrade.  Finally  they  struck  off  the  arm  at  the  shoulder, 
and  took  with  them  all  that  was  left  of  their  brave  comrade. 

It  is  explained  that  the  wound  was  swathed  in  cloths  "  lest 
the  blood  might  betray  our  course."  However,  Lamachus 
could  not  keep  up.  He  begged  his  comrades  to  kill  him. 
When  no  one  of  them  would  do  this,  he  kissed  his  sword 
again  and  again  and  drove  it  into  his  breast  with  the  hand 
that  was  left  him.  They  committed  his  body  to  the  sea  "  and 
there  lies  our  brave  Lamachus  with  a  whole  element  for  his 
grave." 

The  next  of  the  robber  band  to  lose  his  life  seems  to  have 
been  at  fault  in  two  respects.  He  was  careless,  for  his  comrade 
tells  us  that  upon  breaking  into  an  old  woman's  cottage,  he 
sliould  liave  strangled  her.  He  neglected  this  precaution  and 
pi-(jc»'eded  to  throw  her  belongings  out  of  the  window  to  the 
other  members  of  the  band  who  waited  below. 

When  everything  was  gone  except  the  coverlet  which  en- 
wrapped the  old  woman  sleeping  all  this  time,  the  robber  fell 
a  victim  to  his  second  failing.     He  was  too  greedy,  for  he  felt 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXV 

that  he  must  have  the  coverlet.  So  he  threw  the  occupant  of 
the  bed  upon  the  floor.  The  "  wicked  old  woman  "  promptly 
asked  him  why  he  was  presenting  all  her  belongings  to  her 
rich  neighbors,  whose  house  the  window  overlooked. 

Alcimus  was  of  so  simple  a  mind  that  he  was  deceived  by 
the  cunning  of  this  wily  speech.  He  leaned  out  of  the  win- 
dow ;  that  aged  sinner  gave  him  a  push,  and  he  fell  upon  a 
stone  and  broke  and  shattered  the  framework  of  his  ribs. 
He  lived  long  enough  to  tell  his  comrades  what  had  happened. 
Then  he  gave  up  the  ghost  and  they  buried  him  as  they  had 
Lamachus. 

We  can  but  feel  that  the  narrator  has  cleverly  led  up  to  a 
climax,  for  the  third  tale  is  much  more  elaborate  than  the 
other  two.  We  are  presented  with  a  picture  of  a  show  of 
gladiators  to  be  given  by  Demochares  of  Plataea  and  hardly 
enough  can  be  said  in  praise  of  his  gentle  birth,  his  great 
generosity  and  his  wealth. 

He  has  collected  skilled  gladiators,  experienced  huntsmen, 
horribly  guilty  criminals,  these  last  to  be  used  as  a  feast  for 
the  wild  beasts.  A  wonderful  contrivance  of  towers  built  of 
wood,  resembling  a  house  on  wheels,  decorated  with  paintings, 
is  used  as  an  ornamental  cage  for  wild  beasts. 

Here  follows  a  description  of  the  animals.  We  learn  that 
Demochares  "  had  been  at  great  pains  to  procure  these  noble 
sepulchres  for  the  condemned  felons,  importing  them  even 
from  foreign  lands."  But  he  specialized  in  bears  and  bears 
did  not  thrive.  In  every  open  space  of  the  town  they  lay 
dying  in  agony.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  bears  succumbed 
to  a  pestilence,  the  poor  people  hastened  to  partake  of  these 
banquets  spread  thus  freely  for  them. 

And  now  the  stage  being  set,  the  actors  appear.  Two  of 
the  robbers  conceive  a  brilliant  plan  for  making  some  of  the 
wealth  of  the  good  Demochares  their  own.  Carrying  the  car- 
cass of  a  very  big  bear  to  their  abode,  they  skin  it  carefully, 
leaving  the  head  and  claws  entire.     While  the  skin  dries,  they 


XXVi  INTRODUCTION 

enjoy  a  diet  of  the  flesh  and  perfect  their  plan.  Some  one 
very  brave  and  strong  is  to  hide  himself  in  the  skin  and  assume 
the  appearance  of  a  bear.  He  is  to  be  introduced  into  the 
house  of  Demochares,  and  in  the  dead  of  the  night  to  admit 
his  comrades. 

There  are  many  volunteers,  but  Thrasyllus  is  chosen.  Sewn 
into  the  skin,  his  head  pushed  into  the  cavity  of  the  mouth, 
holes  pierced  in  the  eyes  and  nostrils  that  he  may  not  be 
suffocated,  he  is  placed,  now  a  "  perfect "  beast,  in  a  cage. 

And  now  the  subtlety  of  the  plot  becomes  evident.  The 
robbers  learning  of  a  friend  of  Demochares,  a  hunter,  forge  a 
letter  from  him  in  which  he  begs  Demochares  to  accept  the 
first  fruits  of  a  hunting  trip,  the  bear.  The  recipient,  de- 
lighted, gives  orders  to  place  the  new  bear  with  the  others. 
But  when  he  is  reminded  by  the  robbers  that  the  other  bears 
are  ill,  and  that  the  new  bear  will  be  better  out  of  the  sun  for 
a  time,  in  his  house  for  choice,  Demochares,  with  a  commend- 
able readiness  to  act  upon  a  suggestion,  promptly  has  the  bear 
placed  in  the  house. 

Everything  seems  propitious.  The  robbers  strolling  into 
the  country  find  an  ancient  tomb,  and  wrenching  the  tops 
from  the  coffins,  prepare  to  use  them  as  a  repository  for  the 
rich  booty  they  anticipate.  Coming  at  the  appointed  time, 
they  find  that  Thrasyllus  has  done  his  part ;  the  guards  are 
dead  and  the  doors  open. 

According  to  their  plan,  the  robbers,  with  as  much  treasure  as 
they  can  carry,  hasten  to  the  tomb  to  deposit  it,  leaving  only 
one  man  on  guard,  for  they  argue  that  any  one  who  might 
awaken  and  see  the  fierce  bear  roaming  about  would  hasten  to 
barricade  himself  in  his  own  apartment. 

A  slave  does  ;iwake,  but  does  not  react  as  expected.  He  runs 
away  indeed,  but  only  to  alarm  the  household.  A  mob  of  men 
gathers,  every  one  armed.  Shaggy  dogs  are  there.  Tlie  uar- 
I'ator,  hiding  behind  a  door,  witnesses  the  thrilling  conHiet. 
Thrasyllus  never  for  one  moment  forgets  his  character.     He 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXvil 

fights  like  a  wild  beast.  The  description  of  his  brave  struggle 
is  harrowing.  Finally  "  mangled  by  hound's  teeth  and  maimed 
by  steel,  yet  he  roared  and  bellowed  continually  with  the  voice 
of  a  wild  beast ;  he  endured  his  sufferings  with  noble  con- 
stancy, and  though  he  yielded  up  his  life  to  fate,  he  made  fame 
his  own  for  ever." 

The  Three  Brothers.  —  A  gloomy  recital  of  murder  and  suicide 
is  the  tale  of  the  three  brothers.  These  young  men,  sons  of  a 
wealthy  farmer,  hasten  to  the  support  of  a  poor  friend  who  is 
in  danger  of  being  deprived  of  his  small  property  by  a  rich 
tyrant. 

The  oppressor,  reminded  by  the  youngest  of  the  brothers 
that  the  law  is  no  respecter  of  persons  and  will  protect  the 
poor  against  the  brutality  of  the  rich,  becomes  so  angry  that 
he  looses  against  the  poor  man  and  his  friends  a  number  of 
great  savage  dogs. 

One  brother  is  pulled  down  and  killed,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  the  others  hasten  to  his  rescue.  After  the  second  brother 
is  slain  by  a  spear,  the  third,  feigning  to  be  wounded,  avenges 
his  brothers  by  killing  the  tyrant  and  then,  before  he  can  be 
taken  by  the  slaves  who  rush  upon  him,  ends  his  own  life. 
This  is  the  most  depressing  of  all  the  stories. 

Eaten  Alive.  —  Another,  hardly  less  dark  in  hue,  is  that  of 
the  slave  who  was  devoured  by  ants.  A  certain  slave,  who  had 
entire  charge  of  his  master's  household,  loved  a  free  woman 
belonging  to  a  neighboring  family. 

His  wife,  a  slave  of  the  same  household  as  himself,  was  so 
angered  because  of  his  unfaithfulness  to  her,  that  she  burned 
all  his  account  books  and  indeed  all  the  contents  of  the  house. 
Then  she  hanged  herself  and  her  child. 

The  master,  to  punish  the  slave  whose  conduct  had  impelled 
his  wife  to  this  action,  had  him  stripped  and  smeared  all  over 
with  honey.  Then  he  was  bound  to  a  hollow  lig-tree  which 
was  infested  with  ants.  Attracted  by  the  smell  of  the  honey, 
they  fastened  upon  the  body  of   the  slave  in  swarms.     The 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION 

man's  flesh  was  stripped  from  his  bones,  which  were  left  gleam- 
ing white  on  the  tree. 

In  two  of  the  stories  under  discussion,  the  witch  motif  is 
brought  out  most  prominently.  While  the  superstructure  of 
the  first  tale  rests  upon  the  scorned  affection  and  that  of  the 
second  upon  the  illicit  love  of  the  respective  heroines,  both 
stories  impress  us  principally  because  of  the  grewsome  details 
of  the  lopping  off  of  noses  and  ears,  the  tearing  out  of  hearts, 
and  the  changing  of  shape  which  are  characteristic  of  the  true 
witch  tale. 

Tale  of  Aristomenes,  the  Commercial  Traveler.  —  With  a  mi- 
nuteness of  detail  which  goes  far  to  make  one  feel  that  all 
that  follows  is  authentic,  Aristomenes,  a  commercial  traveller, 
tells  of  his  arrival  in  Hypata,  how  his  business  there  had 
sped,  how,  wearied,  he  went  to  the  baths  "just  as  the  evening 
star  was  rising."  And  how  surprised  he  was  at  the  sight  of 
his  friend  Socrates  clad  only  in  filthy  rags. 

When  he  had  given  Socrates  all  the  home  news  and  had  fed 
and  clothed  him,  he  was  rewarded  for  his  kindness  by  the  his- 
tory of  all  that  had  befallen  his  friend.  Socrates  on  his  way  home 
from  Macedonia,  whither  he  had  gone  on  business,  planned  to 
stop  at  Larissa  to  witness  a  show  of  gladiators,  when  he 
was  attacked  bj^  robbers  and  lost  everything  that  he  possessed. 

Arriving  at  an  inn,  he  was  fed,  comforted,  and  accepted 
as  a  lover  by  the  landlady,  whose  name  was  Meroe.  She  had 
taken  all  his  earnings,  even  all  the  clothes  the  robbers  had 
left  him  ;  l)ut  when  Aristomenes  characterized  her  and  her 
conduct  in  an  uncom])limentary  manner,  poor  Socrates  hastened 
to  exclaim,  "  Not  a  word  against  that  divine  woman,  lest  the 
recklessness  of  your  speech  do  you  a  hurt !  " 

Thereupon  Socrates  described  the  power  of  Meroe.  "  She 
can  call  down  tlie  sky,  hang  earth  in  heaven,  freeze  fountains, 
melt  iiif)untains,  raise  the  spirits  of  the  dead;  send  gods  to 
hell,  i)iit  out  the  stars  and  give  light  to  Tartarus  itself." 

"  I  beseech  you,"  said  Aristomenes  not  unreasonably,  "  clear 


THE   APULEIAN  SHORT   STORY  XXlX 

away  your  tragic  curtain,  roll  up  your  drop  scene  and  speak 
in  ordinary  language."  Thus  besought  Socrates  told  of  the 
horrors  wrought  by  Meroe  and  of  the  dread  punishment  meted 
out  to  any  who  tried  to  oppose  her.  Much  territied,  Aristom- 
enes  felt  that  the  witch  probably  already  knew  all  that  they 
had  been  saying.  He  counselled  flight  at  dawn  but  found  that 
Socrates,  very  tired  and  having  drunk  much  wine,  was  already 
asleep.  So  Aristomenes  made  everything  as  secure  as  possi- 
ble, placing  his  truckle  against  the  door. 

He  was  barely  asleep  when  the  hinges  were  broken,  the 
doors  battered  to  the  ground  and  his  bed  overturned.  Falling 
to  the  ground  he  was  shielded  by  the  bed,  and  saw  two  women 
enter.  One  carried  a  bright  lantern,  the  other  a  sponge  and 
naked  sword.  Meroe,  standing  by  Socrates'  bed,  said  to  her 
companion,  "  This,  sister  Panthia,  is  my  sweet  Endymion,  my 
Ganymede,  who  has  made  light  of  my  love,  and  not  content 
with  slandering  me,  he  now  seeks  to  fly  from  me,  while  I  like 
a  second  Calypso,  deserted  by  the  wily  Ulysses,  must  bewail 
my  loneliness  for  ever."  She  also  made  it  quite  clear  to  Aris- 
tomenes that  she  knew  of  his  presence  and  of  the  fact  that  he 
had  proposed  the  departure. 

As  she  talked  she  became  enraged  and  proposed  killing  him 
at  once,  but  the  "  good  Panthia "  expressed  a  preference  for 
tearing  Socrates  limb  from  limb,  and  Meroe  finally  decided 
that  Aristomenes  might  live  so  that  there  would  be  some  one 
to  bury  Socrates.  Plunging  her  dagger  into  Socrates'  throat, 
she  caught  the  blood  in  a  bladder,  then  thrust  her  hand  into 
the  wound  and  dragged  forth  his  heart. 

All  the  time  Socrates  continued  to  utter  a  shriek  which 
gurgled  indistinctly  through  the  wound.  The  good  Panthia 
used  her  sponge  to  "  block  the  wound  where  it  gaped  widest," 
but  she  adjured  it  to  have  a  care  lest,  "  child  of  the  sea,  thou 
cross  running  water." 

Then  the  witches  departed,  the  doors  rose  up  and  resumed 
their  former  position  and  became  bolted  and  barred. 


XXX  INTRODUCTION 

Aristomenes  for  the  second  time  decided  to  fly.  The  porter 
refused  to  open  the  door  of  the  inn  and  became  unpleasantly 
personal  in  his  inquiries  as  to  the  safety  of  Socrates. 

With  no  course  left  to  him  but  to  return  to  the  scene  of  the 
murder,  Aristomenes  decided  to  end  his  life.  Taking  the  rope 
from  the  truckle  bed,  he  cast  one  end  over  a  beam  and  made 
the  other  into  a  noose.  Then  he  climbed  upon  the  bed  to 
launch  himself  to  destruction,  but  as  he  pushed  away  the  sup- 
port, the  rope  broke  and  he  fell  upon  Socrates.  They  rolled 
together  to  the  floor.  Just  then  the  porter  burst  into  the 
room,  loudly  demanding  the  man  who  had  been  in  such  a 
hurry  to  depart.  Socrates  arose.  He  complained  of  the 
noise  which  had  broken  in  upon  his  delightful  sleep.  Aristom- 
enes was  so  overjoyed  to  find  Socrates  alive  and  to  know 
that  he  could  not  now  be  accused  of  murder  that  he  em- 
braced and  kissed  his  friend,  much  to  the  indignation  of  the 
latter, 

Aristomenes  urged  that  they  start  at  once.  Once  well  on 
the  way,  he  looked  curiously  at  Socrates.  No  wound,  no 
sponge.  He  told  himself  that  he  had  taken  too  much  wine, 
and  confided  to  Socrates  that  he  had  passed  a  dreadful  night 
filled  with  horrid  dreams.  Socrates  said  that  he  too  had  a 
dream  in  which  he  thought  that  his  throat  was  cut.  He  added 
that  he  was  even  then  faint  and  needed  food  to  restore  his 
strength.  So  they  sat  under  a  tree  to  eat  their  breakfast  and 
Socrates  became  thinner  and  thinner  while  his  face  grew 
yellow  and  his  strength  failed  fast.  Then  he  became  very 
thirsty  and  went  to  a  nearby  stream  to  drink.  But  as  he 
knelt,  "  a  wound  gaped  wide  and  deep  in  his  throat,"  a  sponge 
dropped  out  and  the  body  would  have  fallen  into  the  stream 
had  not  Aristomenes  dragged  it  to  the  top  of  the  bank.  After 
bewailing  his  comrade  lie  laid  him  in  the  shallow  grave  pre- 
dicted by  Meroc. 

Telyphron's  Tale  of  the  Witches.  —  The  second  witch  tale  is 
of  a  much  more  complicated  nature.     The  favorite  feature  of 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXXI 

the  supernatural  is  introduced,  and  the  climax  is  as  great  a  sur- 
prise to  the  reader  as  it  was  to  the  narrator  of  the  tale. 

Telyphron,  a  young  man,  tells  us  of  his  adventures.  Reach- 
ing Larissa  in  the  course  of  his  travels,  he  found  himself  in 
pressing  need  of  money.  Hearing  a  crier  offering  his  own 
jirice  to  anyone  who  would  watch  a  corpse,  he  somewhat 
flippantly  asked  a  passerby  if  the  corpses  were  in  the  habit  of 
running  away. 

The  man  rebuked  Telyphron,  reminding  him  that  he  was 
young  and  a  stranger  sojourning  in  the  place  peculiarly  known 
as  the  home  of  witches.  The  witches,  he  said,  lay  in  wait  to 
mutilate  the  faces  of  the  dead  in  order  to  procure  ingredients 
for  their  magic  charms.  If  a  watcher  allowed  the  face  of  a 
corpse  to  be  mutilated,  he  must  allow  portions  to  be  cut  from 
his  own  face  to  replace  those  taken. 

Undismayed,  Telyphron  offered  his  services  to  the  crier,  who 
at  once  led  him  to  the  beautiful  lady  whose  husband  was  dead. 
In  the  presence  of  seven  witnesses  the  widow  made  an  inven- 
tory of  the  features  and  their  condition  at  the  time  of  Tely- 
phron's  arrival.  The  door  locked,  Telyphron,  much  exhausted, 
went  to  sleep  soon  after  he  had  driven  away  a  weasel  which 
had  approached  and  looked  fixedly  at  him. 

He  did  not  awaken  until  dawn,  when,  filled  with  fear  lest 
the  corpse  had  been  mutilated,  he  rushed  to  look  at  it  and 
found  that  it  was  unimpaired.  When  the  widow  entered  with 
her  witnesses  she  was  overjoyed,  ordered  the  watcher  paid, 
and  said."  that  she  should  count  him  among  her  friends  in  the 
future.  Telyphron's  reply  to  the  effect  that  she  might  count 
upon  him  whenever  she  had  need  of  his  services  was  consid- 
ered of  such  ill  omen  that  the  lady's  servants  set  upon  him, 
beat  and  bruised  him  and  tore  his  clothes. 

As  he  was  recovering  from  this  hard  treatment,  the  funeral 
procession  of  the  young  man  passed  through  the  market  place. 
An  old  man,  weeping  and  tearing  his  hair,  threw  his  arms 
about  the  bier,  and  accused  the  widow  of  the  dead  man  of  hav- 


xxxii  INTRODUCTION 

iiig  murdered  him  that  she  might  have  his  money  and  please 
lier  lover.  The  widow  denied  her  guilt,  appealing  with  tears 
to  all  the  gods  of  heaven. 

Thereupon  the  old  man  produced  an  Egyptian  prophet,  who 
had  agreed  to  recall  the  dead  man  to  life  for  a  brief  space. 
After  an  impressive  ceremonial,  the  corpse  sat  up,  begging  to 
be  allowed  to  rest.  But  the  prophet  angrily  commanded  him 
to  throw  light  upon  the  mystery  of  his  death.  Thereupon  the 
dead  man  wearily  said  that  his  wife  had  poisoned  him  that  she 
might  give  herself  to  her  lover.  There  ensued  an  argument 
between  the  wife,  who  maintained  her  innocence,  and  the 
corpse,  and  each  had  supporters  in  the  throng  about. 

Finally,  to  prove  his  truthfulness,  the  corpse  promised  to 
tell  something  that  he  alone  knew.  He  said  that  the  witches 
had  thrown  a  pall  over  the  watcher  of  the  night  before.  Then 
they  had  repeatedly  called  the  name  of  the  corpse  until  he  felt 
that  he  must  rise  and  go  to  them. 

Strange  to  relate,  his  name  and  that  of  the  watcher  were 
identical,  and  it  was  the  latter  who  finally  arose  and  went  to 
the  door.  There,  reaching  through  the  chink  of  the  door,  the 
witches  had  loj)ped  off  the  nose  and  ears  of  the  young  man, 
and  in  order  that  he  might  not  discover  his  loss,  had  put  fea- 
tures made  of  wax  in  place  of  those  they  had  taken. 

Ujjon  hearing  this  astounding  statement,  Telyphron  put  his 
hands  to  his  ears  and  they  dropped  off ;  to  his  nose,  and  it  fell 
off.  He  had  no  heart  to  return  to  his  home,  and  was  from 
tln'ii  an  exile. 

The  Jealous  Wife.  —  Of  all  these  stories,  none  of  which  is 
])oor  ill  plot,  the  tale  of  the  woman  who  murdered  her  husband's 
sister  is  most  notable  because  of  its  wealtli  in  this  respect. 

A  woman,  whose  husband  is  about  to  start  on  a  journey,  is 
told  by  him  that  if  their  child  soon  to  be  born  is  a  girl,  it  must 
1h'  put  to  death.  When  the  girl  baby  is  born,  the  mother  can- 
not bear  to  have  it  killed.  She  places  it  in  the  family  of  a 
iKMghbor  to  be  reared. 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXXlll 

When  the  girl  has  grown  to  a  marriageable  age,  the  fact  that 
she  can  give  her  daughter  no  dowry  so  oppresses  the  mother 
that  she  confides  the  whole  story  to  her  son.  He  promptly 
agrees  to  take  the  girl  into  his  family,  provide  her  with  a 
dowry  and  marry  her  to  one  of  his  own  dear  friends. 

It  is  necessary  to  conceal  the  identity  of  the  girl,  and  his 
wife  becomes  jealous  of  her.  Going  into  the  country,  she 
sends  a  faithful  slave  with  a  message  to  the  girl,  requesting 
her  to  come  unattended  to  the  country  house.  Since  her 
brother's  signet  ring  is  shown  her  when  the  message  is  deliv- 
ered, the  girl,  who  is  devoted  to  her  brother,  has  no  hesitation 
in  obeying  his  command. 

The  jealous  wife  springs  upon  her  from  ambush,  ill  treats 
and  wounds  her  and  tinally,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  girl 
discloses  the  true  relationship  between  herself  and  her  as- 
sailant's husband,  murders  her  in  a  manner  too  horrible  to 
relate. 

The  husband  and  the  young  girl's  fiance  bury  her,  and  the 
brother  is  so  affected  by  grief  that  he  becomes  ill.  The  wife 
goes  to  a  physician  and  offers  him  a  large  sum  of  money  if  he 
will  sell  her  some  poison.  In  the  presence  of  the  household 
the  physician  offers  the  sick  man  the  cup.  To  his  horror,  the 
wife  demands  that  he  take  part  of  the  draught  as  proof  that 
he  has  no  intention  of  poisoning  her  husband. 

The  physician,  speechless  before  the  audacity  of  this  aban- 
doned woman,  drinks  part  of  the  poison,  offering  the  remainder 
to  the  sick  man,  who  takes  it  readily.  The  wife  manages  to 
keep  the  physician  in  the  house  so  long  that  he  cannot  save 
his  life  by  an  antidote.  He  lives  long  enough,  however,  to 
tell  his  wife  what  has  happened  and  to  bid  her  collect  the  re- 
ward  promised  him. 

When  the  physician's  widow  asks  for  the  money,  it  is  prom- 
ised her  at  once  and  she  is  asked  if  she  cannot  find  a  little 
more  of  the  same  potion.  Overjoyed  at  the  promise  of  pay- 
ment, she  brings  the  whole  casket. 


xxxiv  INTRODUCTION 

With  this  power  for  evil  in  her  hands,  the  wicked  woman 
decides  to  murder  her  little  daughter  who  will  otherwise 
inherit  her  father's  property.  Arranging  a  luncheon  party, 
she  poisons  not  only  her  daughter,  but  the  physician's  widow 
as  well.  The  child  dies  at  once,  but  the  older  victim  lives 
long  enough  to  tell  the  governor  about  the  crimes,  and  their 
perpetrator  is  sentenced  to  be  thrown  to  the  wild  beasts. 

In  addition  to  the  fact  that  this  somewhat  tiresome  tale  has 
such  an  involved  plot,  one  notices  the  effect  upon  the  narrator 
as  the  story  proceeds  and  the  full  enormity  of  the  wickedness 
of  the  principal  character  affects  his  judgment.  .When  the 
physician  is  applied  to  for  the  poison,  we  are  told  that  he  is 
notorious  for  his  perfidious  villainies  ;  when,  tricked  by  the 
woman  to  whom  he  has  sold  the  poison,  he  dies,  he  is  that 
"  most  admirable  physician." 

The  Enamoured  Step-mother.  —  Only  second  to  the  tale  just 
told  for  depth  of  wickedness  in  its  heroine,  is  that  of  the 
stepmother  who  loved  her  husband's  son.  If  the  author  had 
been  upholding  the  truth  of  the  assertion  that  "  hell  hath  no 
fury  like  a  woman  scorned,"  he  could  have  brought  forward  no 
more  convincing  incidents. 

The  stepmother  is  beautiful  and  the  mother  of  a  son,  but  her 
passion  for  her  stepson  is  so  great  that  she  is  ill  because  of  it. 
The  stepson  is  pictured  as  a  model  youth  devoted  to  his  books. 
When  his  stepmother  declares  her  passion,  he  promptly  sug- 
gests that  they  must  say  nothing  more  of  it  until  his  father 
goes  away. 

It  is  his  intention  to  go  away  himself  to  escape  the  un- 
welcome advances  of  his  father's  wife,  but  before  he  can  do  so, 
liis  father  goes  upon  a  long' journey.  When  the  stepmother 
is  taught  by  the  numerous  excuses  returned  in  answer  to  her 
various  messages  that  her  affection  is  unwelcome,  her  love 
turns  to  bitterest  hate. 

The  usual  faithful  slave  procures  the  usual  poison  to  ad- 
mhiister  to  the  offender,  but  it  is  taken  by  the  younger  sou, 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXXV 

who  dies.  The  father,'  hastily  summoned,  is  told  a  horrible 
tale  of  the  depravity  of  his  elder  son.  Because  his  stepmother 
repelled  his  advances,  he  has  poisoned  her  son  in  revenge,  and 
now  plots  to  destroy  her  because  she  has  detected  his  guilt. 
Beside  himself  with  grief,  the  poor  father  buries  his  dead  son  ; 
then  he  rushes  into  the  market  place,  demanding  the  punish- 
ment of  the  living  one. 

The  trial  is  held.  The  stepmother's  faithful  slave  testifies 
that  the  young  man,  angered  because  of  his  stepmother's  ob- 
duracy, had  procured  poison  which  he  commanded  the  slave  to 
give  to  the  little  brother ;  that  he  offered  a  rich  reward  and 
threatened  death  if  his  command  were  not  obeyed.  That 
finally  he  had  administered  the  potion  with  his  own  hand, 
fearful  lest  the  slave  should  not  do  so. 

The  senators,  all  believing  in  the  guilt  of  the  accused,  were 
about  to  condemn  him  to  death,  when  the  most  respected  of 
them,  putting  his  hand  over  the  mouth  of  the  vase  into  which 
the  voting  pebbles  were  to  be  cast,  told  a  strange  story. 

The  slave  had  applied  to  him  for  a  swift  poison  for  which  he 
offered  to  pay  a  large  sum.  He  had  given  the  potion,  but  as 
his  suspicions  had  been  aroused,  he  had  made  an  excuse  by 
which  he  had  managed  to  have  the  slave's  seal  affixed  to 
the  bag  of  coins  paid  him.  Although  the  seal  affixed  to  the 
bag  of  coins  proved  to  be  the  same  as  that  on  the  slave's  ring, 
the  latter  still  maintained  the  truth  of  his  story. 

Then  the  physician  said  that  the  drug  which  he  had  given  to 
the  slave  was  mandrake,  which  did  not  kill  but  induced  a  deep 
sleep.  If  it  had  been  administered  to  the  boy,  he  would  now 
be  on  the  point  of  awaking.  They  went  to  the  tomb  and  found 
the  boy  just  emerging  from  the  trance. 

The  slave  was  sentenced  to  be  crucified  ;  the  stepmother  was 
banished  for  life ;  the  father  who  had  believed  himself  bereft 
of  both  sons,  was  now  happy  in  their  possession, 
,    The  Tragedy  of  Tlepolemus  and  Charite.  —  The  story  of  Tle- 
polemus  and  Charite,  their  love  for  each  other  and  their  death, 


XXXVl  INTRODUCTION 

and  of  the  villain  of  the  piece,  Thrasyllus,  is  the  most  sym- 
metrically developed  of  all  the  tales  we  are  to  consider, 

Charite,  beautiful  and  charming,  after  being  sought  in 
marriage  by  many  suitors,  is  married  to  Tlepolemus,  Thra- 
syllus, violently  in  love  with  her,  has  been  rejected  by  her 
parents  because  of  his  dissipated  life  and  evil  associates.  His 
passion  for  the  bride  of  Tlepolemus  does  not  wane,  and  he  in- 
gratiates himself  with  the  wedded  pair  and  becomes  an  inti- 
mate of  the  husband. 

Together  they  go  to  hunt  roe  deer,  for  Charite  fears  some 
injury  to  her  husband  if  he  seek  hercer  game.  Tlepolemus  and 
Thrasyllus  are  mounted,  their  servants  on  foot.  Suddenly  a 
wild  boar  springs  from  the  forest.  "With  mighty  muscles 
standing  out,  with  bristling  hair  rising  along  his  spine,  he 
rushes  out,  gnashing  his  teeth  in  his  rage,  foaming  at  the 
mouth,  while  his  eyes  seem  to  flash  forth  flame." 

Upon  the  proposal  of  Thrasyllus,  the  friends  start  in  pursuit 
of  the  boar.  It  turns  upon  Tlepolemus  and  he,  hard  pressed, 
calls  to  his  friend  for  aid.  The  servants  have  already  run 
away.  Thrasyllus  attacks  instead  of  aiding  Tlepolemus,  and 
maims  his  horse.  Fearful  lest  the  tusks  of  the  furious  boar 
may  not  inflict  fatal  wounds,  he  adds  several  thrusts  of  his  spear. 

When  Charite  learns  of  the  death  of  her  husband,  she  rushes 
wildly  through  the  street  to  throw  herself  upon  his  body,  and 
is  only  prevented  by  force  from  joining  him  in  death.  It  is 
Thrasyllus  who  later  rouses  her  to  take  some  interest  in  life. 
And  when  slie  seems  reconciled  to  live,  he  urges  his  proposals 
upon  her  and  this  time  with  the  consent  of  her  parents. 

And  now  the  shade  of  Tlepolemus  appears  to  Charite  in  her 
sleep  and  tells  her  of  the  guilt  of  Thrasyllus.  Her  whole 
energy  seems  now  to  l)e  directed  to  revenge.  She  conceals  her 
loathing  of  her  wicked  suitor,  and  gives  hopeful  promises  for 
the  future.  But  when  he  urges  her  to  accept  him  at  once  as 
her  lover,  she  apparently  yields,  only  stipulating  that  he  come 
secretly,  since  her  husband's  death  is  so  recent. 


THE   APULEIAN   SHORT   STORY  XXXVll 

On  his  arrival,  a  servant  plies  liini  with  drugged  wine. 
When  he  is  unconscious,  Charite  Llinds  him  by  plunging 
through  his  eyes  again  and  again,  a  pin  from  her  hair.  Then, 
in  spite  of  those  who  would  have  restrained  her,  Charite  kills 
herself  at  her  husband's  tomb  and  Thrasyllus,  awaking  to  the 
horror  of  all  that  he  has  done,  has  himself  locked  in  the  tomb 
of  those  he  has  so  wronged,  and  dies  of  starvation. 

The  Tale  of  the  Tub  and  the  Fuller's  Wife.  —  The  tale  of  the 
Tub  and  the  story  of  the  Fuller's  Wife  serve  to  bring  into 
prominence  that  element  of  lubricity  which  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  characteristics  of  the  early  Milesian  tale.  The  tale 
of  the  Tub  is  well  known,  as  Boccaccio  has  used  it  in  his 
Decameron.  The  story  of  the  Fuller's  Wife  is  an  involved 
tale  of  intrigue,  and  it  also  appears  in  the  Decameron. 

Cupid  and  Psyche.  —  The  far-famed  tale  of  Cupid  and  Psyche 
is  one  of  the  best-known  tales  of  antiquity.  It  has  inspired 
many  a  work  of  art,  and  if  known  to  comparatively  few  in 
the  original,  the  exquisite  translation  of  it  in  Walter  Pater's 
Marius  the  Epicurean,  La  Fontaine's  version,  and  perhaps 
above  all,  for  English  readers,  the  poetical  rendering  of 
William  Morris  in  the  Earthly  Paradise  have  made  it  well 
known  in  modern  times.  It  is  undoubtedly  folklore  in  origin 
but  worked  over  into  the  form  of  an  erotic  romance  with  a 
very  slight  element  of  allegory. 

With  the  possible  exception  of  the  tale  of  Diophanes,  the 
Chaldaean,  these  are  tales  of  action.  One  readily  sees  the 
tremendous  possibilities  open  to  a  narrator  of  vivid  imagina- 
tion. When  Socrates  tremblingly  tells  of  the  dread  deeds  of 
the  witch  in  punishing  her  enemies,  the  reader  is  tempted  to 
add  something  of  his  own,  so  stimulated  are  his  inventive 
powers. 

The  supernatural  element  is  a  favorite  and  striking  feature, 
and  the  shades  have  as  much  individuality  as  their  prototypes. 
At  times  the  appearance  of  the  shade  was  necessary,  as  in  the 


XXXVlll  INTRODUCTION 

second  witch's  tale.  In  the  instance  cited,  the  husband's 
spirit  came  unwillingly,  but  having  come,  argued  vigorously 
with  the  wife  who  had  poisoned  him,  and  then,  and  there  to 
prove  his  veracity,  furnished  the  point  of  the  whole  tale  by 
disclosing  what  the  witch  had  done  to  Telyphron.  In  striking 
contrast,  the  shade  of  Tlepolemus  need  not  have  come  at  all, 
for  Charite  must  already  have  suspected  what  he  came  to  dis- 
close. But  he  was  a  gentle,  affectionate,  resigned  spirit,  and 
a  decided  aid  in  adding  to  the  thrill  which  these  tales  could 
not  have  failed  to  induce. 

In  the  story  of  the  Lost  Slippers,  the  central  figure  is, 
rather  surprisingly,  the  lady's  lover.  His  ready  wit  and  kind 
heart,  as  shown  in  saving  a  slave  from  torture,  make  him  a 
personality,  a  rare  thing  in  the  stories  under  discussion,  in 
which  characterization  is  noticeably  absent.  Another  person- 
ality is  Charite,  a  well  delineated  character,  and  the  fact  that 
she  is  a  virtuous  wife  is  something  of  a  relief  after  one  has 
read  so  many  accounts  of  readily  accepted  lovers  and  deceived 
husbands. 

With  very  few  exceptions  we  are  shown  puppets  whose 
strings  are  pulled  by  the  author.  As  a  result  there  is  mani- 
fest a  striking  readiness  to  act  in  a  way  to  promote  the  plot. 
And  such  a  wealth  of  plot !  The  villains  are  nearly  all  femi- 
nine and  are  painted  as  absolutely  unscrupulous.  Confidential 
slaves  abound  who  are  ever  ready  to  plan  murders  and  to 
bring  necessary  potions  from  unscrupulous  physicians. 

In  these  days  of  psychological  studies  the  very  objectivity 
of  these  always  simple,  though  involved  tales  is  somewhat 
restful.  One  can  feel  sure  that  the  person  who  is  to  be  de- 
ceived will  yield  readily  to  the  most  transparent  attempt  to 
hoodwink  him  ;  that  the  good  will  ultimately  triumph  in 
almost  every  case;  that  punishments  will  be  blood-curdling 
in  their  cruelty  ;  that  ghosts  will  walk,  and  that  while  robbers 
nearly  always  die,  yet  undying  fame  is  theirs  forever.  We 
gain,  too,  an  interesting  picture  of  the  time.     In  those  days  in 


THE    APULEIAN   SHORT  STORY  XXXIX 

Thessaly,  the  land  of  magic,  where  wild  beasts,  robbers,  inky- 
blackness  and  every  kind  of  danger  threatened  from  without, 
these  melodramatic  tales  told  in  wayside  inns  by  commercial 
travellers,  by  servants,  sometimes  even  by  one  of  the  leading 
characters,  could  rarely  fail  to  produce  the  most  telling  effect. 


TALE   or  ARISTOMENES   THE  OOMMEROIAL 
TRAVELER 

Sed  ut  prius  noritis  cuiatis  sim ;  Aegiensis ;  audite  et 
quo  quaestu  me  teneam :  melle  vel  caseo  et  huiusce  modi 
cauponarum  mercibus  per  Thessaliam,  Aetoliam,  Boeotiam 
ultro  citro  discurrens.  Comperto  itaque  Hypatae,  quae 
civitas  cunctae  Thessaliae  antepollet,  caseum  recens  et  sciti  5 
saporis  admodum  commodo  pretio  distrahi,  festinus  ad- 
cucurri  id  omne  praestinaturus. 

Sed,  ut  fieri  adsolet,  sinistro  pede  profectum  me  spes 
compendii  frustrata  est ;  omne  enim  pridie  Lupus  negotiator 
magnarius  coemerat.  Ergo  igitur  inefficaci  celeritate  fatiga-  lo 
tus  commodum  vespera  oriente  ad  balneas  processeram ; 
ecce  Socraten  contubernalem  meum  conspicio.  Humi  sede- 
bat  scissili  palliastro  semiamictus,  paene  alius  lurore,  ad 
miseram  maciem  deformatus,  qualia  solent  fortunae  de- 
cermina  stipes  in  triviis  erogare.  Hunc  talem,  quamquam  15 
necessarium  et  summe  cognitum,  tamen  dubia  mente  propius 
accessi. 

"  Hem,"  inquam,  "  mi  Socrates,  quid  istud  ?  quae  facies  ? 
quod  flagitium  ?  At  vero  domi  tuae  iam  defletus  et  con- 
clamatus  es,  liberis  tuis  tutores  iuridici  provincialis  decreto  20 
dati,  uxor  persolutis  inferialibus  officiis  luctu  et  maerore 
diuturno  deformata,  diffletis  paene  ad  extremam  captivita- 
tem   oculis   suis,   domus   infortunium    novarum   nuptiarum 

1 


2  Lucrus  AruLEius 

gaudiis  a  suis  sibi  parentibus  hilarare  compellitur.     At  tu 

hie  larvale  simulacrum  cum  summo  dedecore  nostro  viseris." 

"  Aristomene,"  inquit,  '*  ne  tu  fortunarum  lubricas  ambages 

et  instabiles  incursiones  et  reciprocas  vieissitudines  ignoras ! " 

5  et  cum  dicto  sutili  centunculo  facieni  suam  iam  dudum 
punicantem  prae  pudore  obtexit  ita,  ut  ab  umbilico  pube 
tenus  cetera  corporis  renudaret.  Nee  denique  perpessus 
ego  tam  miserum  aerumnae  spectaculum  iniecta  manu  ut 
adsurgat  enitor. 

10  At  ille,  ut  erat,  capite  velato,  "  Sine,  sine,"  inquit,  **  fru- 
atur  diutius  trophaeo  Fortuna,  quod  fixit  ipsa." 

Effeci  sequatur  et  simul  unam  e  duabus  laciniis  meis  exuo 
eumque  propere  vestio  dicam  an  contego,  et  ilico  lavacro 
trado,  quod  unctui,  quod  tersui  ipse  praeministro,  sordium 

15  enormem  eluviem  operose  effrico,  probe  curato,  ad  hospitium 
lassus  ipse  fatigatum  aegerrime  sustinens  perduco,  lectulo 
refoveo,  cibo  satio,  poculo  mitigo,  fabulis  permulceo. 

Iam  adlubentia  proclivis  est  sermonis  et  ioci  et  scitum 
etiam  cavillum,  iam  dicacitas   intimida,  cum   ille  imo  de 

20pectore  cruciabilem  suspiritum  ducens,  dextra  saeviente 
frontem  replaudens  :  *'  Me  miserum,"  infit,  "  qui,  dum  volup- 
tatem  gladiatorii  spectaculi  satis  famigerabilis  consector,  in 
has  aerumnas  incidi.  Nam  ut  scis  optime,  secundum  quaes- 
tum    Macedoniam    profectus,   dum    mense   decimo    ibidem 

25  attentus  nummatior  revortor,  modico  prius  quam  Larissam 
accederem,  per  transitum  spectaculum  obiturus  in  quadam 
avia  et  lacunosa  convalli  a  vastissimis  latronibus  obsessus 
atque  omnibus  privatus  tandem  evado  et  utpote  ultime 
adfectus   ad   quandam    cauponam    Meroen,   anum   sed   ad- 

30  modum  scitulam,  devorto  eique  causas  et  peregrinationis 
diutumae  et  domuitionis  anxiae  et  spoliationis  miserae 
refero ;  quae  me  niiiiis  r|uam  humane  tractare  adorta,  cenae 


TALE   OF   ARISTOMENES  3 

gratae  atque  gratuitae  adplicat.  Et  statim  miser,  ut  cum  ilia 
adquievi,  ab  unico  congressu  annosam  ac  pestilentem  servi- 
tutem  contraho  et  ipsas  etiam  lacinias,  quas  boni  latrones 
eontegendo  mihi  coucesserant,  in  earn  coutuli,  operulas  etiam, 
quas  adhuc  vegetus  saccariam  faciens  merebam,  quoad  me  5 
ad  istam  faciem  quam  paulo  ante  vidisti  bona  uxor  et  mala 
fortuna  perduxit." 

"  Pol  quidem  tu  dignus,"  inquam,  "  es  extrema  sustinere, 
si  quid  est  tamen  novissimo  extremius,  qui  voluptatem 
veneriam  et  scortum  scorteum  lari  et  liberis  praetulisti."  10 
At  ille  digitum  a  pollice  proximum  ori  suo  admovens  et 
in  stuporem  attonitus  "  Tace,  tace,"  inquit  et  circumspiciens 
tutamenta  sermonis  :  "  Parce,"  inquit,  "  in  feminam  divinam 
ne  quam  tibi  lingua  intemperante  noxam  contralias." 

"  Ain  tandem?  "  inquam,  "  potens  ilia  et  regina  caupona  15 
quid  mulieris  est  ?  " 

"  Saga,"  inquit,  "  et  divina,  potens  caelum  deponere, 
terram  suspendere,  fontes  durare,  montes  diluere,  manes 
sublimare,  deos  infimare,  sidera  extinguere,  Tartarum  ipsum 
inluminare."  20 

"  Oro  te,"  inquam,  "aulaeum  tragicum  dimoveto  et  si- 
parium  scaenicum  complicato  et  cedo  verbis  communibus." 

"  Vis,"   inquit,    "  unum  vel  alterum,  immo  plurima  eius 
audire  facta?     Nam  ut  se  ament  efflictim  non   modo  in- 
colae,  verum   etiam   Indi  vel   Aethiopes   utrique   vel   ipsi25 
Anticthones,  folia  sunt  artis   et   nugae  merae.     Sed   quod 
in  conspectum  plurium  perpetravit,  audi, 

"  Cauponem  quoque  vicinum  atque  ob  id  aemulum  defor- 
mavit  in  ranam  et  nunc  senex  ille  dolio  innatans  vini  sui, 
adventores   pristinos   in   faece    submissus   officiosis    roncis  30 
raucus  appellat.     Alium  de  foro,  quod  adversus  eam  locutus 
esset,  in  arietem  deformavit  et  nunc  aries  ille  causas  agit. 


4  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

"  Quae  cum  subinde  faceret  ac  niulti  nocerentur,  publicitus 
indignatio  percrebruit  statutumque  ut  in  earn  die  altera 
severissime  saxorum  iaculatiouibus  vindicaretur.  Quod 
consilium  virtutibus  cantionum  antevortit  et  ut  ilia  Medea 

5  unius  dieculae  a  Creone  impetratis  indutiis  totam  eius 
domum  filiamque  cum  ipso  sene  flammis  coronalibus  deus- 
serat,  sic  haec  devotionibus  sepulcliralibus  in  scrobem  pro- 
curatis,  ut  mihi  temulenta  narravit  proxime,  cunctos  in  suis 
sibi  domibus  tacita  numinum  violentia  clausit,  ut  toto  biduo 

10  non  claustra  perf ringi,  non  fores  evelli,  non  denique  parietes 
ij)si  quiverint  perforari,  quoad  mutua  hortatione  consone 
clamitarent  quam  sanctissime  deierantes  sese  neque  ei  manus 
admolituros  et,  si  quis  aliud  cogitarit,  salutare  laturos 
subsidium,     Et  sic  ilia  propitiata  totam  civitatem  absolvit. 

15  "  At  vero  coetus  illius  auctorem  nocte  intempesta  cum  tota 
dome,  id  est  parietibus  et  ipso  solo  et  omni  fundamento,  ut 
erat,  clausa  ad  centesimum  lapidem  in  aliam  civitatem 
summo  vertice  mentis  exasperati  sitam  et  ob  id  ad  aquas 
sterilem  transtulit.     At  quoniam  densa  inliabitantium  aedi- 

20  ficia  locum  novo  hospiti  non  dabant,  ante  portam  j^roiecta 
domo  discessit." 

"  Mira,"  inquam,  "  nee  minus  saeva,  mi  Socrates,  memoras. 
Denique  mihi  quoque  non  parvam  incussisti  sollicitudinem, 
immo  vero  formidinem,  iniecto  non  scrupulo,  sed  lancea,  ne 

25  quo  numinis  ministerio  similiter  usa  sermones  istos  nostros 
anus  ilia  cognoscat.  Itaque  maturius  quieti  nos  reponamus 
et  somno  levata  lassitudine  noctis  antelucio  aufugiamus 
istinc  quam  pote  longissime." 

Haec  adliu(!    inc   suadente    insolita    vinolentia    ac    diu- 

.30  turna  fatigatione  pertentatus  bonus  Socrates  iam  sopitus 
stertebat  altius.  Ego  vero  adducta  fore  pessulis(iue  tir- 
matis  grabatulo  etiam  pone   cardines   supposito   et   probe 


TALE   OF   ARISTOMENES  5 

adgesto  super  eum  me  recipio.  Ac  primum  prae  metu 
aliquantisper  vigilo,  dein  circa  tertiam  ferme  vigiliani 
paululum  coniveo.  Commodum  quieveram,  et  repente  im- 
pulsu  maiore  quam  ut  latrones  crederes  ianuae  reserautur, 
immo  vero  fractis  et  evolsis  funditus  cardinibus  proster-  5 
nuntur.  Grabatulus  alioquin  breviculus  et  uno  pede  muti- 
lus  ac  piitris  impetus  tanti  violentia  prosternitur,  me 
quoque  evolutum  atque  excussum  humi  recideus  in  inver- 
sum  coperit  ac  tegit. 

Tunc  ego  sensi  naturalitus  quosdam  affectus  in  con- 10 
trarium  provenire.  Nam  ut  lacrimae  saepicule  de  gaudio 
prodeunt,  ita  et  in  illo  nimio  pavore  risum  nequivi  con- 
tinere,  de  Aristomene  testudo  factus.  Ac  dum  in  fimum 
deiectus  obliquo  aspectu,  quid  rei  sit,  grabatuli  soliertia 
munitus  opperior,  video  mulieres  duas  altioris  aetatis ;  15 
lucernam  lucidam  gerebat  una,  spongiam  et  nudum  gladium 
altera.     Hoc  habitu  Socratem  bene  quietum  circumstetere. 

Infit  ilia  cum  gladio  "  Hie  est,  soror  Panthia,  carus  En- 
dymion,  hie  Catamitus  mens,  qui  diebus  ac  noctibus  inlusit 
aetatulam  meam,  hie  qui  meis  amoribus  subterhabitis  non20 
solum  me  diffamat  probris,  verum  etiam  fugam  instruit. 
At  ego  scilicet  Ulixi  astu  deserta  vice  Calypsonis  aeternam 
solitudinem  flebo."  Et  porrecta  dextera  meque  Panthiae 
suae  demonstrato,  "  At  hie  bonus,"  inquit,  "  consiliator 
Aristomenes,  qui  fugae  huius  auctor  fuit  et  nunc  morti25 
proximus  iam  humi  prostratus  grabatulo  subcubans  iacet  et 
haec  omnia  conspicit,  impune  se  laturum  meas  contumelias 
putat.  Faxo  eum  sero,  immo  statim,  immo  vero  iam  nunc, 
ut  et  praecedentis  dicacitatis  et  instantis  curiositatis  paeni- 
teat."  30 

Haec   ego   ut   accepi,  sudore  frigido  miser  perfluo,  tre- 
more   viscera   quatior,  ut  grabatulus  etiam   succussu   meo 


6  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

inquietus  super  dorsum  meum  palpitando  saltaret.  At 
bona  Panthia  "  Quin  igitur,"  inquit,  "  soror  Meroe,  hunc  pri- 
mum  bacchatim  discerpimus." 

Ad  haec    Meroe  —  sic    enim    reapse  nomen   eius    tunc 

5  fabulis  Socratis  convenire  sentiebam  — '  Immo,'  ait,  '  su- 
persit  hie  saltern,  qui  miselli  huius  corpus  parvo  con- 
tumulet  humo,'  et  capite  Socratis  in  alterum  dimoto  latus 
per  iugulum  sinistrum  capulo  tenus  gladium  totum  ei  de- 
mergit  et   sanguinis   eruptionem   utriculo   admoto   excipit 

10  diligenter,  ut  nulla  stilla  compareret  usquam. 

Haec  ego  meis  oculis  aspexi,  Nam  etiam,  ne  quid  de- 
mutaret,  credo,  a  victimae  religione,  immissa  dextera  per 
vulnus  illud  ad  viscera  penitus,  cor  miseri  contubernalis 
mei  Meroe  bona  scrutata  protulit,  cum  ille  inj)etu  teli  prae- 

issecata  gula  vocem,  immo  stridorem  incertum  per  vulnus 
effunderet  et  spiritum  rebulliret.  Quod  vulnus,  qua  max- 
ime  patebat,  spongia  offulciens  Panthia  "  Heus  tu,"  inquit, 
"  spongia,  cave  in  mari  nata  per  fluvium  transeas."  His 
editis  abeunt. 

20  Commodum  limen  evaserant,  et  fores  ad  pristinum  statum 
integrae  resurgunt ;  cardines  ad  foramina  resident,  ad 
postes  repagula  redeunt,  ad  claustra  pessuli  recurrunt. 
At  ego,  ut  eram,  etiam  nunc  humi  proiectus,  inanimis,  nudus 
et  frigidus  immo  vero  semimortuus,  verum  etiam  ipse  mihi 

25  supervivens  et  postumus  vel  certe  destinatae  iam  cruci  can- 
didatus,  "  Quid,"  inquam,  "  me  tiet,  ubi  iste  iugulatus  mane 
paruerit  ?  Cui  videbor  veri  similia  dicere  proferens  vera  ? 
*  Proclamares  saltem  suppetiatum,  si  resistere  vir  tantus 
mulieri  nequibas ;  sub  oculis  tuis  homo  iugulatur,  et  siles  ? 

30  Cur  autera  te  simile  latrocinium  non  peremit?  Cur  saeva 
crudelitas  vel  propter  indicium  sceleris  arbitro  pepercit? 
Ergo  quouiam  evasisti  mortem,  nunc  illo  redi.' " 


TALE  OF   ARISTOMENES  7  . 

Haec  identidein  mecum  replicabairi,  et  nox  ibat  in  diem. 
Optimum  itaque  factu  visum  est  anteluculo  furtim  evadere 
et  viam  licet  trepido  vestigio  capessere.  Sumo  sarcinulam 
meam,  subdita  clavi  pessulos  reduce ;  at  illae  probae  et 
tideles  ianuae,  quae  sua  sponte  reseratae  nocte  fuerant,  5 
vix  tandem  et  aegerrime  tunc  clavis  suae  crebra  immissione 
patefiunt. 

Et  "  Heus  tu,  ubi  es  ?  "  inquam  ;  "  valvas  stabuli  absolve, 
antelucio  volo  ire."  lanitor  pone  stabuli  ostium  Immi 
cubitans  etiam  nunc  semisomnus :  "  Quid  ?  tu,"  inquit,  lo 
"  ignoras  latronibus  infestari  vias,  qui  hoc  noctis  iter  incipis  ? 
Nam  etsi  tu  alicuius  facinoris  tibi  conscius  scilicet  mori 
cupis,  nos  cucurbitae  caput  non  habemus,  ut  pro  te  mori- 
amur."  "  Non  longe,"  inquam,  "  lux  abest.  Et  praeterea 
quid  viatori  de  summa  pauperie  latrones  auferre  possunt  ?  15 
An  ignoras,  inepte,  nudum  nee  a  decem  palaestritis  despoli- 
ari  posse  ?  " 

Ad  haec  ille  marcidus  et  semisopitus  in  alterum  latus 
evolutus  "  Unde  autem,"  inquit,  "  scio,  an  convectore  illo 
tuo,  cum  quo  sero  devorteras,  iugulato  fugae  mandes  prae-20 
sidium." 

Illud  horae  memini  me  terra  dehiscente  ima  Tartara 
inque  his  canem  Cerberum  prorsus  esurientem  me  pro- 
spexisse.  Ac  recordabar  profecto  bonam  Meroen  non 
misericordia  iugulo  meo  pepercisse,  sed  saevitia  cruci  me  25 
reseruasse.  In  cubiculum  itaque  reversus  de  genere  tu- 
multuario  mortis  mecum  deliberabam. 

Sed  cum  nullum  aliud  telum  mortiferum  Fortuna  quam 
solum  mihi  grabatulum  subministraret,   "  lam  iam  graba- 
tule,"  inquam,  "animo  meo  carissime,  qui  mecum  totaerum-30 
nas   exanclasti  conscius  et  arbiter,  quae  nocte  gesta  sunt, 
quem    solum    in    meo    reatu    testem    innocentiae     citare 


8  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

possum,  tu  mihi  ad  inferos  festinanti  sumministra  telum 
salutare  "  ;  et  cum  dicto  restim,  qua  erat  intextus,  adgredior 
expedire  ac  tigillo,  quod  fenestrae  subditum  altriusecus 
promiuebat,  iniecta  atque  obdita  parte  funicula  et  altera 

5  firmiter  in  nodum  coacta  ascenso  grabatulo  ad  exitium 
sublimatus  et  immisso  capite  laqueum  iiiduo.  Sed  dum  pede 
altero  fulcimentum,  quo  sustinebar,  repello,  ut  ponderis 
deductu  restis  ad  iugluviem  adstricta  spiritus  ofiicia  dis- 
cluderet,  repente  putris  alioquin  et  vetus  funis  dirumpitur 

10  atque  ego  de  alto  recidens  Socrateu  —  nam  iuxta  me  iacebat 

—  superruo  cumque  eo  in  terram  devolvor.     Et  ecce  in  ipso 

momento  ianitor  introrumpit  exerte  clamitans  "  Ubi  es  tu,  qui 

alta  nocte  immodice  festinabas  et  nunc  stertis  involutus?  " 

Ad  haec  nescio  an  casu  nostro  an  illius  absono  clamore 

15  experrectus  Socrates  exsurgit  prior  et  "  Xon,"  inquit,  "  in- 
merito  stabularios  hos  omnes  hospites  detestantur.  Nam 
iste  curiosus  dum  inportune  irrumpit  —  credo  studio  rapi- 
endi  aliquid  —  clamore  vasto  marcidum  alioquin  me  altis- 
simo  somno  excussit." 

20  Emergo  laetus  atque  alacer  insperato  gaudio  perfusus  et 
"  Ecce,  ianitor  fidelissime,  comes  et  pater  mens  et  frater 
meus,  quem  nocte  ebrius  occisum  a  me  calumniabaris,"  et 
cum  dicto  Socratem  deosculabar  amplexus.  At  ille  odore 
alioquin   spurcissimi   humoris  percussus,   quo  me  Lamiae 

25  illae  infecerant,  vehementer  aspernatur :  "  Apage  te,"  in- 
quit,  "  fetorem  extremae  latrinae "  et  causas  coepit  huius 
odoris  comiter  inquirere.  At  ego  miser  adficto  ex  tempore 
absurdo  ioco  in  alium  sermonem  intentionem  eius  denuo 
derivo  et  iniecta  dextra  "  Quin  imus,"  inquam,  "  et  itineris 

30  matutini  gratiam  capimus." 

Sumo  sarcinulam  et  pretio  mausionis  stabulario  persoluto 
capessimus  viam. 


TALE   OF   ARISTOMENES  9 

Aliquantum  processeramus,  et  iam  iubaris  exortu  cuncta 
conlustrantur.  Et  ego  curiose  sedulo  arbitrabar  iugulum 
comitis,  qua  parte  gladiuin  delapsura  videram,  et  mecum 
"  Vesane,"  aio,  "  qui  poculis  et  vino  sepultus  extrema  somni- 
asti.  Ecce  Socrates  integer,  sanus,  incolumis.  Ubi  vulnus,  5 
ubi  spongia  ?  ubi  postremum  cicatrix  tam  alta,  tarn  recens  ?  " 
Et  ad  ilium  :  "  Non,"  inquam,  "  immerito  medici  lidi  cibo  et 
crapula  distentos  saeva  et  gravia  somniare  autumaut ;  milii 
denique,  quod  poculis  vesperi  minus  temperavi,  nox  acerba 
diras  et  truces  imagines  optulit,  ut  adhuc  me  credam  cruore  lO 
humano  aspersum  atque  impiatum." 

Ad  haec  ille  subridens  "  At  tu,"  inquit,  "  non  sanguine, 
sed  lotio  perfusus  ee,  verum  tamen  et  ipse  per  somnium 
iugulari  visus  sum  mihi.  Nam  et  iugulum  istum  dolui  et 
cor  ipsum  mihi  avelli  putavi,  et  nunc  etiam  spiritu  deli- is 
cior  et  genua  quatior  et  gradu  titubo  et  aliquid  cibatus 
refovendo  spiritu  desidero." 

"  En,"  inquam,  "  paratum  tibi  adest  ientaculum  "  et  cum 
dicto  manticam  meam  humero  exuo,  caseum  cum  pane 
propere  ei  porrigo  et  "  luxta  platanum  istam  residamus  "  aio,  20 

Quo  facto  et  ipse  aliquid  indidem  sumo  eumque  avide 
esitantem  aspiciens  aliquanto  intentiore  macie  atque  pal- 
lore  buxeo  deficientem  video.  Sic  denique  eum  vi talis  color 
turbaverat,  ut  mihi  prae  metu,  nocturnas  etiam  Eurias  illas 
imaginanti,  frustulum  panis,  quod  primum  sumpseram,  quam-  25 
vis  admodum  modicum  mediis  faucibus  inhaereret  ac  neque 
deorsum  demeare  neque  sursum  remeare  posset.  Nam  et 
crebritas  ipsa  commeantium  metum  mihi  cumulabat.  Quis 
enim  de  duobus  comitum  alterum  sine  alterius  noxa  perem- 
tum  crederet  ?  Verum  ille  ut  satis  detruncaverat  cibum,  30 
sitire  inpatienter  coeperat ;  nam  et  optimi  casei  bonam  par- 
tem avide  devoraverat,  et  baud  ita  longe  radices  platani  lenis 


10  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

fluvius  in  speciem  placidae  paludis  ignavus  ibat  argento  vel 
vitro  aemulus  in  colorem. 

"  En,"  inquam,  "  explere  latice  fontis  lacteo." 

Adsurgit  ille  et  oppertus  paululum  planiorem  ripae  mar- 

5  ginem  complicitus  in  genua  adpronat  se  avidus  adfectans 
poculum,  Kecdum  satis  extremis  labiis  summum  aquae  ro- 
rem  attigerat,  et  iugulo  eius  vulnus  deliiscit  in  profundum 
patorem  et  ilia  spongia  de  eo  repente  devolvitur  eamque 
parvus  admodum  comitatur  cruor,     Denique  corpus  exani- 

10  matum  in  flumen  paene  cernuat,  nisi  ego  altero  eius  pede 
retento  vix  et  aegre  ad  ripam  superiorem  adtraxi,  ubi  de- 
fletum  pro  tempore  comitem  misellum  arenosa  humo  in 
amnis  vicinia  sempiterna  contexi. 

Ipse  trepidus  et  eximie  metuens  mihi  per  diversas   et 

I5avias  solitudines  aufugi  et  quasi  conscius  mihi  caedis  hu- 
manae,  relicta  patria  et  lare,  ultroneum  exilium  amplexus, 
nunc  Aetoliam  novo  contracto  matrimonio  colo. 


n 

DIOPHANES  THE  CHALDEAN 

Nam  die  quadam  cum  frequentis  populi  circulo  conseptus 
coronae  circumstantium  fata  donaret,  Cerdo  quidam  nomine 
negotiator  accessit  eum,  diem  commodum  peregrinationi  cu- 
piens.  Quern  cum  electum  destinasset  ille,  iam  deposita  cru- 
mina,  iam  profusis  nummulis,  iam  dinumeratis  centum  de-  5 
narium,  quos  mercedem  divinationis  auferret,  ecce  quidam  de 
nobilibus  adulescentulus  a  tergo  adrepens  eum  lacinia  pre- 
hendit  et  eonversum  amplexus  exosculatur  artissime. 

At  ille  ubi  primum  consaviatus  eum  iuxtim  se  ut  adsidat 
effecit,  attonitus  repentinae  visionis  stupore  et  praesentis  lo 
negotii  quod  gerebat  oblitus,  infit  ad  eum  :    "  Quam  olim 
equidem  exoptatus  nobis  advenis  ?  " 

Respondit  ad  haec  ille  alius,  "  Commodum  vespera  orients. 
Sed  vicissim  tu  quoque,  f  rater,  mihi  memora  quem  ad  modum 
exinde,  ut  de  Euboea  insula  festinus  enavigasti,  et  maris  et  15 
viae  confeceris  iter." 

Ad  haec  Diophanes  ille  Chaldaeus  egregius  mente  viduus 
necdum  suus  "  Hostes,"  inquit,  "  et  omnes  inimici  nostri 
tam  diram,  immo  vero  Ulixeam  peregrinationem  incidant. 
Nam  et  navis  ipsa,  qua  vehebamur,  variis  turbinibus  pro- 20 
cellarum  quassata,  utroque  regimine  amisso  aegre  ad  ulteri- 
oris  ripae  marginem  detrusa,  praeceps  demersa  est  et  nos 
omnibus  amissis  vix  enatavimus. 

"  Quodcumque    vel  iguotorum  miseratione  vel  amicorum 
benivolentia  contraximus,  id  omne  latrocinalis  invasit  manus,  25 

11 


12  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

quorum  audaciae  repugnaiis  etiam  Arignotus  unicus  f rater 
meus  sub  istis  oculis  miser  iugulatus  est." 

Haec  eo  adhuc  narrante  maesto  Cerdo,  ille  negotiator  cor- 
reptis  nummulis  suis,  quos  divinationis  mercedi  destinaverat, 
5  protinus  aufugit.  Ac  dehinc  tunc  demum  Diophanes  ex- 
pergitus  sensit  imprudentiae  suae  labem,  cum  etiam  nos 
omnis  circumsecus  adstantes  in  clarum  cachinnum  videret 
elfusos. 


Ill 

TELYPHEON'S   TALE  OF  THE  WITCHES 

Pupillus  ego  Mileto  profectus  ad  spectaculum  Olym- 
picurn  cum  haec  etiain  loca  provinciae  famigerabilis  adire 
cuperein,  peragrata  cuncta  Thessalia  fuscis  avibus  Larissam 
accessi,  Ac  dimi  singula  pererrans  tenuato  admodum 
viatico,  paupertati  meae  fomenta  conquiro,  conspicor  medio  5 
foro  procerum  quendam  senem.  Insistebat  lapidem  cla- 
raque  voce  praedicabat,  si  qui  mortuum  servare  vellet,  de 
pretio  liceretur.  Et  ad  quempiam  praetereuntium  "  Quid 
hoc,"  inquam,  "  comperior?  Hicine  mortui  solent  aufugere?" 

"  Tace,"  respondit  ille,  "  nam  oppido  puer  et  satis  pere-  lo 
grinus  es  meritoque  ignoras   Thessaliae  te  consistere,  ubi 
sagae  mulieres  ora  mortuorum  passim  demorsicant,  eaque 
sunt  illis  artis  magicae  supplementa." 

Contra  ego  "  Et  quae,  tu,"  inquam,  "  die  sodes,  custodela 
ista  feralis  ?  "  "  lam  primum,"  respondit  ille,  "  perpetem  15 
noctem  eximie  vigilandum  est  exertis  et  inconivis  oculis 
semper  in  cadaver  intentis  nee  acies  usquani  devertenda, 
immo  ne  obliquanda  quidem,  quippe  cum  deterrimae  versi- 
pelles  in  quodvis  animal  ore  converso  latenter  adrepant,  ut 
ipsos  etiam  oculos  Solis  et  lustitiae  facile  f rustrentur  ;  nam  20 
et  aves  et  rursum  canes  et  mures,  immo  vero  etiam  muscas 
induunt.  Tunc  diris  cantaminibus  somno  custodes  obruunt. 
Nee  satis  quisquam  definire  poterit  quantas  latebras  ne- 
quissimae  mulieres  pro  libidine  sua  comminiscuntur, 

13 


14  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

"  Nec  tamen  huius  tarn  exitiabilis  operae  merces  amplior 
quam  quaterni  vel  seni  ferme  offeruntur  aurei.  Ehem,  et, 
quod  paene  praeterieram,  si  qui  non  integrum  corpus  mane 
restituerit,  quidquid  inde  decerptum  deminutumque  fuerit, 

6  id  omne  de  facie  sua  desecto  sarcire  compellitur." 

His  cognitis  animum  meum  conmasculo  et  ilico  accedens 
praeconem,  "  Clamare,"  inquam,  "  iam  desine.  Adest  custos 
paratus,  cedo  praemium." 

"Mille,"   inquit,  "nummum  deponentur  tibi.     Sed  heus 

lOiuvenis,  cave  diligenter  principum  civitatis  lilii  cadaver  a 
malis  Harpiis  probe  custodias." 

"  Ineptias,"  inquam,  '*  mihi  narras  et  nugas  meras.  Vides 
hominem  ferreum  et  insomnem,  certe  perspicaciorem  ipso 
Lynceo  vel  Argo  et  oculeum  totum." 

15  Vix  finieram,  et  ilico  me  perducit  ad  domum  quampiam, 
cuius  ipsis  foribus  obseptis  per  quandam  brevem  posticulam 
intro  vocat  me  et  conclave  quoddam  obseratis  luminibus 
umbrosum  aperiens  demonstrat  matronam  flebilem  fusca 
veste  contectam,  quam  propter  adsistens  "  Hie,"  inquit,  "  auc- 

20  toratus  ad  custodiam  mariti  tui  fidenter  accessit."  At  ilia 
crinibus  antependulis  liinc  inde  dimotis  etiam  in  maerore 
luculentam  proferens  faciem  meque  respectans  "  Vide  oro," 
inquit,  "  quam  expergite  munus  obeas." 

"  Sine   cura   sis,"   inquam,   "  modo   corollarium  idoneum 

25  compara." 

Sic  placito  consurrexit  et  ad  aliud  me  cubiculum  inducit. 
Ibi  corpus  splendentibus  linteis  coopertum,  introductis 
quibusdam  septem  testibus,  manu  revelat  et  diutine  super 
fleto,  obtestata  tidcin  })raesentium  singula  demonstrat  anxie, 

30  verba  con(;ei)ta  de  industria  quodam  tabulis  praenotante. 
"  Ecce,"  inquit,  "  nasus  integer,  incolumes  oculi,  salvaeaures, 
inlibatae  labiae,  mentum  solidum,     Vos  in  banc  rem,  boui 


TELYPHRON'S   TALE  15 

Quirites,  testimonium  perhibetote,"  et  cum  dicto  consignatis 
illis  tabulis  facessit. 

At  ego  :  "  lube,"  inquam,  ''  domina,  cuncta  quae  sunt  usui 
necessaria  nobis  exhiberi." 

"  At  quae,"  inquit,  "  ista  sunt  ?  "  5 

"  Lucerna,"  aio,  "  praegrandis  et  oleum  ad  lucem  luci 
sufficiens  et  calida  cum  oenophoris  et  calice  cenarumque 
reliquiis  discus  ornatus." 

Tunc  ilia  capite  quassanti,  "Abi,"  inquit,  "  fatue,  qui  in 
domo  funesta  cenas  et  partes  requiris,  in  qua  totiugis  iam  lo 
diebus  ne  fumus  quidem  visus  est  ullus.  An  istuc  comisa- 
tum  te  venisse  credis  ?  Quin  sumis  potius  loco  congruentes 
luctus  et  lacrimas  ?  "  Haec  simul  dicens  respexit  ancillulam 
et  "  Myrrhine,"  inquit,  "  lucernam  et  oleum  trade  confestim 
et  incluso  custode,  cubiculo  protinus  facesse."  15 

Sic  desolatus  ad  cadaveris  solacium  perfrictis  oculis  et 
obarmatis  ad  vigilias  animum  meum  permulcebam  canta- 
tionibus,  cum  ecce  crepusculum  et  nox  provecta  et  nox  altior 
et  dein  concubia  altiora  et  iam  nox  intempesta.  Mihique 
oppido  formido  cumulatior  quidem,  cum  repente  introrepens  '20 
mustula  contra  me  constitit  optutumque  acerrimum  in  me 
destituit,  ut  tantillula  animalis  prae  nimia  sui  fiducia  mihi 
turbarit  animum.  Denique  sic  ad  illam  "  Quin  abis,"  in- 
quam, "  inpurata  bestia,  teque  ad  tui  similes  musculos  recon- 
dis,  antequam  nostri  vim  praesentariam  experiaris  ?  Quin  25 
abis?" 

Terga  vortit  et  cubiculo  protinus  exterminatur.  Nee 
mora,  cum  me  somnus  profundus  in  imum  barathrum 
repente  demergit,  ut  ne  deus  quidem  Delphicus  ipse  facile 
discerneret,  duobus  nobis  iacentibus,  quis  esset  magis  mor-30 
tuus.  Sic  inanimis  et  indigens  alio  custode  paene  ibi  non 
eram. 


16  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

Commodum  noctis  indutias  cantus  perstrepebat  cristatae 
cohortis.  Tandem  expergitus  et  nimio  pavore  perterritus 
cadaver  accurro  et  ainmoto  lumine  revelataque  eius  facie 
rimabar  singula,  quae  cuncta  convenerant ;  ecce  uxor  misella 

5  flens  cum  hesternis  testibus  introrumpit  anxia  et  statim 
corpori  superruens  multumque  ac  diu  deosculata  sub  ar- 
bitrio  luminis  recognoscit  omnia. 

Et  conversa  Philodespotum  requirit  actorem,  ei  praecipit, 
bono   custodi   redderet   sine   mora   praemium.     Et   oblato 

10  statim  **  Summas,"  inquit,  "  tibi,  iuvenis,  gratias  agimus  et 
hercules  ob  sedulum  istud  ministerium  inter  ceteros  fa- 
miliares  deliinc  numerabimus." 

Ad  haec  ego  insperato  lucro  diffusus  in  gaudium  et 
in  aureos  refulgentes,  quos  identidem  manu  mea  ventila- 

15  bam,  attonitus  "Immo,"  inquam,  "  domina,  de  famulis  tuis 
unum  putato,  et  quotiens  operam  nostram  desiderabis, 
fidenter  impera." 

Vix  effatum  me  statim  familiares  omen  nefarium  exse- 
crati    raptis    cuiusque   modi   telis    insecuntur ;    pugnis  ille 

20  malas  oftendere,  scapulas  alius  cubitis  inpingere,  palmis 
infestis  hie  latera  suft'odere,  calcibus  insultare,  capillos 
distrahere,  vestem  discindere.  Sic  in  modum  superbi 
iuvenis  Adonei  vel  musici  vatis  Pipleii  laceratus  atque 
discerptus  aomo  proturbor. 

25  Ac  dum  in  proxima  platea  refovens  animum  infausti 
atque  inprovidi  sermonis  mei  sero  reminiscor  dignumque 
me  pluribus  etiam  verberibus  fuisse  merito  consentio, 
ecce  iam  ultimum  defletus  atque  conclamatus  processerat 
mortuus  iitu(|U('  patrio,  utpote  unus  de  optimatibus,  pompa 

30  funcris  puhlici  ductabatur  per  forum. 

Occurrit  atratus  quidam  maestus  in  laciiinis  genialem 
canitiem   revellens    senex    et   manibus   ambabus   invadens 


TELYPHRON'S  TALE  17 

torum  voce  contenta  quidem,  sed  adsiduis  singultibus  im- 
pedita  "  Per  fidem  vestram,"  inquit,  "  Quirites,  per  pietatem 
publicam  perempto  civi  subsistite  et  extremum  facinus  in 
uefariam  scelestamque  istam  feminam  severiter  vindicate. 
Haec  enim  nee  ullus  alius  miserum  adulescentem,  sororis  5 
meae  filium,  in  adulteri  gratiam  et  ob  praedam  heredita- 
riam  extinxit  veneno." 

Sic  ille  senior  lamentabiles  questus  singulis  instrepe- 
bat.  Saevire  vulgus  interdum  et  facti  verisimilitudine 
ad  criminis  credulitatem  impelli.  Conclamant  ignem,  re- 10 
quirunt  saxa,  parvulos  ad  exitium  mulieris  hortantur. 
Emeditatis  ad  haec  ilia  fletibus  quamque  sanctissime  po- 
terat  adiurans  cuncta  numina  tantum  scelus  abnuebat. 

Ergo  igitur  senex  ille  "  Veritatis  arbitrium  in  divinam 
providentiam  reponamus.  Zatchlas  adest  Aegyptius  pro- 15 
pheta  primarius,  qui  mecum  iam  dudum  grandi  praemio 
pepigit  reducere  paulisper  ab  inferis  spiritum  corpusque 
istud  postliminio  mortis  animare,"  et  cum  dicto  iuvenem 
quempiam  linteis  amiculis  iniectum  pedesque  palmeis 
baxeis  inductum  et  adusque  deraso  capite  producit  in  20 
medium, 

Huius  diu  manus  deosculatus  et  ipsa  genua  contingens 
**  Miserere,"  ait,  "  sacerdos,  miserere  per  caelestia  sidera, 
per  inferna  numina,  per  naturalia  elementa,  per  nocturna 
silentia  et  adyta  Coptica  et  per  incrementa  Nilotica  et25 
arcana  Memphytica  et  sistra  Phariaca.  Da  brevem  solis 
usuram  et  in  aeternum  conditis  oculis  modicam  lucem 
infunde.  Non  obnitimur  nee  terrae  rem  suam  denegamus, 
sed  ad  ultionis  solacium  exiguum  vitae  spatium  depre- 
camur."  30 

Propheta  sic  propitiatus  lierbulam  quampiam  ob  os  cor- 
poris  et  aliam  pectori  eius  imponit.     Tunc  orientem  ob- 


18  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

versus  incrementa  solis  augusti  tacitus  imprecatus  vene- 
rabilis  scaenae  facie  studia  praesentium  ad  miraculum 
tantum  certatim  adrexit. 

Immitto  me  turbae  socium  et  pone  ipsum  lectulum  edi- 

6  tiorem  quendam  lapidem  insistens  cuncta  curiosis  oculis 
arbitrabar,  iam  tumore  pectus  extolli,  iam  salubris  vena 
pulsari,  iam  spiritu  corpus  impleri :  et  adsurgit  cadaver  et 
profatur  adulescens  "  Quid,  oro,  me  post  Lethaea  pocula  iam 
Stygiis   paludibus    innatantem    ad   momentariae   vitae   re- 

10  ducitis  oflEicia  ?  Desine  iam,  precor,  desine  ac  me  in  meam 
quietem  permitte." 

Haec  audita  vox  de  corpore,  sed  aliquanto  propheta  com- 
motior  "  Quiu  refers,"  ait,  "  populo  singula  tuaque  mortis 
illuminas  arcana?     An  non  putas  devotionibus  meis  posse 

15  Diras  invocari,  posse  tibi  membra  lassa  torqueri  ?  " 

Suscipit  ille  de  lectulo  et  imo  cum  gemitu  populum  sic 
adorat :  "  Malis  novae  nuptae  peremptus  artibus  et  addictus 
noxio  poculo  torum  tepentem  adultero  mancipavi." 

Tunc  uxor  egregia  capit  praesentem  audaciam  et  mente 

20sacrilega  coarguenti  marito  resistens  altercat.  Populus 
aestuat,  diversa  tendeutes,  hi  pessimam  feminam  viventem 
statim  cum  corpore  mariti  sepeliendam,  alii  mendacio 
cadaveris  fidem  non  habendam. 

Sed  banc  cunctationem  sequens  adulescentis  sermo  dis- 

25  tinxit ;  nam  rursus  altius  ingemescens  "  Dabo,"  inquit,  "  dabo 
vobis  intemeratae  veritatis  documenta ;  perlucide  quod 
prorsus  alius  nemo  cognoverit  indicabo."  Tunc  digito  me 
demonstrans, "  Nam  cum  corporis  mei  custos  hie  sagacissimus 
exertam  mihi  teneret  vigiliam,  cantatrices  anus  exuviis  meis 

30inminentes  atque  ob  id  reformatae  frustra  saepius,  cum 
industriam  sedulam  eius  fallere  nequivissent,  postremum 
iniecta  somni  nebula  eocjue  in  profundam  quietem  sepulto 


TELYPHRON'S   TALE  19 

me  nomine  ciere  non  prius  desierunt,  quam  dum  hebetes 
artus  et  membra  frigida  pigris  conatibus  ad  artis  magicae 
nituntur  obsequia. 

"  Hie  utpote  vivus  quidem,  sed  tantum  non  sopore  mortuus, 
quod  eodem  mecum  vocabulo  nuncupatur,  ad  suum  nomen  5 
ignarus  exsurgit  et  in  exanimis  umbrae  modum  ultroneus 
gradiens,  quamquam  foribus  cubiculi  diligenter  obclusis, 
per  quoddam  foramen  prosectis  naso  prius  ac  mox  auribus 
vicariam  pro  me  lanienam  sustinuit.  Utque  fallaciae  reliqua 
convenirent,  ceram  in  modum  prosectarum  formatam  aurium  10 
ei  adplicant  examussim  nasoque  ipsius  similem  comparant. 
Et  nunc  adsistit  miser  hie  praemium  non  industriae  sed 
debilitationis  consecutus." 

Hie  dictis  perterritus  temptare  formam  adgredior.  In- 
iecta  manu  nasum  prehendo,  sequitur ;  aures  pertracto,  15 
deruunt.  Ac  dum  directis  digitis  et  detortis  nutibus  prae- 
sentium  denotor,  dum  risus  ebullit,  inter  pedes  circum- 
stantium  frigido  sudore  defluens  evado.  Nee  postea  debilis 
ac  sic  ridiculus  lari  me  patrio  reddere  potui,  sed  capillis 
hinc  inde  laterum  deiectis  aurium  vulnera  celavi,  nasi  vero  20 
dedecus  linteolo  isto  pressim  adglutinato  decenter  obtexi. 


IV 

THE  EOBBER'S   TALE 

Vix  enim  Thebas  heptapylos  accessimus  quod  est  huic 
disciplinae  primarium  studium,  sedulo  fortunas  inquire- 
bamus  popularis  ;  nee  nos  denique  latuit  Chryseros  quidam 
nummularius  copiosae  pecuniae  dominus,  qui  metu  officiorum 

5  ac  munerum  publicorum  magnis  artibus  uiagnam  dissimula- 
bat  opulentiam.  Denique  solus  ac  solitarius,  parva,  sed 
satis  munita  domuncula  contentus,  pannosus  alioquin  ac 
sordidus,  aureos  folles  incubabat. 

Ergo  placuit  ad  hunc  primum  ferremus  aditum,  ut  con- 

lOtempta  pugna  manus  unicae  nullo  negotio  cuuctis  opibus 
otiose  potiremur.  Nee  mora,  cum  noctis  initio  foribus  eius 
praestolamur,  quas  neque  sublevare  neque  dimovere  ac  ne 
perfringere  quidem  nobis  videbatur,  ne  valuarum  sonus 
cunctam  viciniam  nostro  suscitaret  exitio. 

15  Tunc  itaque  sublimis  ille  vexillarius  noster  Lamachus 
spectatae  virtutis  suae  fiducia,  qua  clavi  immittendae  fora- 
men patebat,  sensim  immissa  manu  claustrum  evellere  gestie- 
bat,  Sed  dudum  scilicet  omnium  bipedum  nequissimus 
Chryseros  vigilans  et  singula  rerum  sentiens,  lenem  gradum 

20  et  oliuixum  silentium  tolerans  ])aulatiin  adrepit  grandique 
clavo  iiianum  ducis  nostri  repente  nisu  fortissimo  ad  ostii 
tabuhun  (jiligit  et  exitiabili  nexu  patibulatum  relinquens 
gurgustioli  sui  tectum  ascendit  atc^ue  inde  contentissima 
voce  clamitaus  rogansque  vicinos  et  unum  quemque  proprio 

20 


THE   ROBBER'S   TALE  21 

nomine  ciens  et  salutis  communis  admonens  diffamat  incendio 
repentino  domum  suam  possideri.  Sic  unus  quisque  proximi 
periculi  confinio  territus  suppetiatum  decurrunt  anxii 
Tunc  nos  in  aneipiti  periculo  constituti  vel  opprimendi 
nostri  vel  deserendi  socii,  remedium  e  re  nata  validum  eo  5 
volente  comminiscimar. 

Antesignani  nostri  partem  qua  manus  umerum  subit,  ictu 
per  articulum  medium  temperato,  prorsus  abscidimus  atque 
ibi  brachio  relicto,  multis  laciniis  offulto  vulnere,  ne  stillae 
sanguinis  vestigium  proderent,  ceterum  Lamachum  raptim  10 
reportamus.  Ac  dum  trepidi  religionis  urguemur  gravi 
tumultu  et  instantis  periculi  metu  terremur  ad  fugam  nee 
vel  sequi  propere  vel  remanere  tuto  potest  vir  sublimis 
animi  virtutisque  praecipuus,  multis  nos  adfatibus  multis- 
que  precibus  querens  adhortatur  per  dexteram  Martis,  per  is 
fidem  sacramenti,  bonum  commilitonem  cruciatu  simul  et 
captivitate  liberaremus.  Cur  enim  manui,  quae  rapere  et 
iugulare  sola  posset,  fortem  latronem  supervivere  ?  Sat  se 
beatum,  qui  manu  socia  volens  occumberet,  Cumque  nulli 
nostrum  spontale  parricidium  suadens  persuadere  posset,  20 
manu  reliqua  sumptum  gladium  suum  diuque  deosculatum 
per  medium  pectus  ictu  fortissimo  transadigit.  Tunc  nos 
magnanimi  ducis  vigore  venerato  corpus  reliquum  veste 
lintea  diligenter  convolutum  mari  celandum  commisimus. 
Et  nunc  iacet  noster  Lamachus  elemento  toto  sepultus.  25 

Et  ille  quidem  dignum  virtutibus  suis  vitae  terminum 
posuit.  Enim  vero  Alcimus  sollertibus  coeptis  minus  saevum 
Eortunae  nutum  non  potuit  adducere.  Qui  cum  dormientis 
anus  perfracto  tuguriolo  conscendisset  cubiculum  superius 
iamque  protinus  oblisis  faucibus  interstinguere  eam  de-30 
buisset,  prius  maluit  rerum  singula  per  latiorem  fenestram 
forinsecus  nobis  scilicet  rapienda  dispergere. 


22  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Cumque  iam  cuncta  rerum  naviter  emolitus  nee  toro 
quidem  aniculae  quiescentis  parcere  vellet  eaque  lectulo  suo 
devoluta  vestem  stragulain  subductam  scilicet  iactare  simi- 
liter  destinaret,   genibus    eius  profusa  sic  nequissima  ilia 

5  deprecatur  "  Quid,  oro,  fill,  paupertinas  pannosasque  rescu- 
las  miserrimae  anus  donas  vicinis  divitibus,  quorum  haec 
fenestra  domum  prospicit  ?  " 

Quo  sermone  callido  deceptus  astu  et  vera  quae  dicta  sunt 
credens  Alcimus,  verens  scilicet  ne  et  ea  quae  prius  miserat, 

10  quaeque  postea  missurus  foret,  non  sociis  suis,  sed  in  alienos 
lares  iam  certus  erroris  abiceret,  suspendit  se  fenestra 
sagaciter  perspecturus  omnia,  praesertim  domus  attiguae, 
ut  dixerat  ilia,  fortunas  arbitraturus.  Quod  eum  strenue 
quidem,  set  satis  inprovide  conantem  senile  illud  facinus, 

I5quanquam  invalido,  repentino  tamen  et  inopinato  pulsu 
nutantem  ac  pendulum  et  in  prospectu  alioquin  attonitum 
praeceps  inegit. 

Qui  praeter  altitudinem  nimiam  super  quendam  etiam 
vastissimum  lapidem   propter  iacentem  decidens  perfracta 

20diffusaque  crate  costarum  rivos  sanguinis  vomens  imitus 
narratisque  nobis  quae  gesta  sunt,  non  diu  cruciatus  vitam 
evasit.  Quern  prioris  exemplo  sepulturae  traditum  bonum 
secutorem  Lamacho  dedimus. 

Tunc  orbitatis  duplici  plaga  petiti  iamque  Thebanis  conati- 

25l)us  abnuentes  Plataeas  proximam  conscendimus  civitatem. 
I  hi  fiuiuim  celebrem  super  quodam  Demochare  munus  edituro 
gladiatorium  deprehendimus.  Nam  vir  et  genere  primarius 
et  opibus  plurimus  et  liberalitate  praecipuus  digno  fortunae 
suae  splendore  publicas  voluptates  instruebat.     Quis  tantus 

30  iiigenii,  quis  facundiae,  quis  singulas  species  apparatus  mul- 
tiiugi  verbis  idoneis  posset  explicare?  Gladiatores  isti 
famosae  manus,  venatores   illi   probatae  pernicitatis,  alibi 


THE   ROBBER'S  TALE  23 

noxii  perdita  securitate  suis  epulis  ))estiarum  saginas  in- 
struentes ;  confixilis  machinae  sublicae,  turres  structae 
tabularum  nexibus  ad  instar  circvimforaneae  domus,  floridae 
picturae,  decora  futurae  venatiouis  receptacula.  Qui  prae- 
terea  numerus,  quae  facies  ferarum  !  Nam  praecipuo  studio  5 
forinsecus  etiam  advexerat  generosa  ilia  damnatorum  capi- 
tum  funera. 

Sed  praeter  ceteram  speciosi  muneris  supellectilem 
totis  utcumque  patrimonii  viribus  immanis  ursae  com- 
parabat  numerum  copiosum.  Nam  praeter  domesticis  10 
veuationibus  captas,  praeter  largis  emptionibus  partas  ami- 
corum,  etiam  donationibus  variis  certatim  oblatas  tutela 
sumptuosa  sollicite  nutriebat.  Nee  ille  tarn  clarus  tamque 
splendidus  publicae  voluptatis  apparatus  Invidiae  noxios 
effugit  oculos.  15 

Nam  diutina  captivitate  fatigatae  simul  et  aestiva  fla- 
grantia  maceratae,  pigra  etiam  sessione  languidae,  repentiua 
correptae  pestilentia  paeue  ad  nullum  redivere  numerum. 
Passim  per  plateas  plurimas  cerneres  iacere  semivivorum 
corporum  ferina  naufragia.  Tunc  vulgus  ignobile,  quos20 
inculta  pauperies  sine  delectu  ciborum  tenuato  ventri  cogit  . 
sordentia  supplementa  et  dapes  gratuitas  conquirere, 
passim  iacentes  epulas  accurrunt.  Tunc  e  re  nata  subtile 
consilium  ego  et  iste  Babulus  tale  comminiscimur. 

Unam,  quae  ceteris  sarcina  corporis  praevalebat,  quasi  25 
cibo  parandam  portamus  ad  nostrum  receptaculum  eiusque 
probe  nudatum  carnibus  corium  servatis  sollerter  totis 
unguibus,  ipso  etiam  bestiae  capite  adusque  confinium 
cervicis  solido  relicto,  tergus  omne  rasura  studiosa  tenua- 
mus  et  minuto  cinere  perspersum  soli  siccandum  tradimus.  30 

Ac  dum  caelestis  vaporis  flammis  examurgatur,  nos  in- 
terdum  pulpis  eius  valenter  saginantes  sic  instanti  militiae 


24  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

disponimus  sacramentiim,  ut  unus  e  uumero  nostro,  non 
qui  corporis  adeo,  sed  auimi  robore  ceteris  aiitistaret,  atque 
is  iu  primis  voluutarius,  pelle  ilia  eontectus,  iirsae  subiret 
elfigiem    domuinque    Democharis    iulatus    per    opportuna 

5  noctis  silentia  nobis  ianuae  faciles  praestaret  aditus.  Xec 
paueos  fortissimi  collegii  sollers  species  ad  munus  obeuu- 
dum  adrexerat.  Quorum  prae  ceteris  Thrasyleou  factioiiis 
optione  delectus  aucipitis  macliinae  subivit  aleani. 

lamque  habili  corio  et  mollitie  tractabili  vultu  sereno 

lOsese  recondit.  Tunc  tenui  sarcimine  summas  oras  eius 
adaequamus  et  iuncturae  rimam,  licet  gracilein,  setae  cir- 
cumfluentis  densitate  saepimus,  ad  ipsum  confinium  gulae, 
qua  cervix  bestiae  fuerat  execta,  Thrasyleonis  caput  subire 
cogimus  parvisque  respiratui   circa   nares   et  oculos  datis 

15  f oraminibus  fortissimum  socium  nostrum  prorsus  bestiam 
factum  inmittimus  caveae  modico  praestinatae  pretio,  quam 
constanti  vigore  festinus  inrepsit  ipse. 

Ad  hunc  modum  prioribus  inchoatis  sic  ad  reliqua  falla- 
ciae  pergimus.     Sciscitati  nomen  cuiusdam  iSTicanoris,  qui 

20genere  Thracio  proditus  ius  amicitiae  summum  cum  illo 
Democliare  colebat,  litteras  adfingimus,  ut  venationis  suae 
primitias  bonus  amicus  videretur  ornando  muneri  dedicasse, 
lamque  provecta  vespera  abusi  praesidio  tenebrarum 
Thrasyleonis  caveam  Democliari  cum  litteris  illis  adulteriuis 

25  offerimus ;  qui  miratus  bestiae  magnitudinem  suique  contu- 
bernalis  opportuna  liberalitate  laetatus  iubet  nobis  protinus 
gaudii  sui  gerulis  decern  aureos,  ut  ipse  Labebat,  e  suis 
loculis  adnumerari. 

Tunc,  ut  Dovitas  consuevit  ad  repentinas  visiones  animos 

aohominum  pellere,  multi  numero  niiial)undi  bestiam  conflue- 
bant,  (luorum  satis  callenter  curiosos  asjx'ctus  Tlirasyleon 
noster   impetu    minaci    frequenter   inbibebat ;    consonaque 


THE   ROBBER'S  TALE  25 

civium  voce  satis  felix  ac  beatus  Demochares  ille  saepe 
celebratus,  quod  post  tantam  cladem  ferarum  novo  proventu 
quoquo  modo  fortunae  resisteret,  iubet  novalibus  suis  con- 
festim.  bestiam  summa  cum  diligentia  deportari,  Sed  sus- 
cipiens  ego,  "  Caveas,"  inquam,  "  domine,  fraglantia  solis  et  5 
itineris  spatio  fatigatam  coetui  multarum  et,  ut  audio,  nou 
recte  valentium  committere  ferarum.  Quin  potius  domus 
tuae  patulum  ac  perflabilem  locum,  immo  et  lacu  aliquo 
coutermiuum  refrigerantemque  prospicis  ?  An  ignoras  hoc 
genus  bestiae  lucos  consitos  et  specus  roridos  et  fontes  10 
amoenos  semper  incubare  ?  " 

Talibus  monitis  Demochares  perterritus  numerumque 
perditorum  secum  recensens  non  difficulter  adsensus,  ut 
ex  arbitrio  nostro  caveam  locaremus,  facile  permisit.  "  Sed 
et  nos,"  inquam,  "  ipsi  parati  sumus  hie  ibidem  pro  cavea  15 
ista  excubare  noctes,  ut  aestus  et  vexationis  incommodo 
bestiae  fatigatae  et  cibum  tempestiuum  et  potum  solitum 
aceuratius  offeramus." 

'•'Nihil    indigemus    labore    isto   vestro,"    respondit   ille, 
"  iam  paene  tota  familia  per  diutiuam  consuetudinem  nu-  20 
triendis  ursis  exercitata  est." 

Post  haec  valefacto  discessimus  et  portam  civitatis 
egressi  monumentum  quoddam  conspicamur  procul  a  via 
remoto  et  abdito  loco  positum.  Ibi  capulos  carie  et  vetu- 
state  semitectos,  quis  inhabitabant  pulverei  et  iam  cinerosi  25 
mortui,  passim  ad  futurae  praedae  receptacula  resera- 
mus  et  ex  disciplina  sectae  servato  noctis  inlunio  tem- 
pore, quo  somnus  obvius  impetu  primo  corda  mortalium 
validius  invadit  ac  premit,  cohortem  nostram  gladiis  ar- 
matam  ante  ipsas  fores  Democharis  velut  expilationis  30 
vadimoniam  sistimus. 

Nee  setius  Thrasyleou  examussim  capto  noctis  latrocinali 


26  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

momento  prorepit  cavea  statimque  custodes,  qui  propter 
sopiti  quiescebant,  omnes  ad  ununi,  mox  etiam  ianitorem 
ipsuni  gladio  conficit  clavique  subtracta  fores  ianuae  re- 
pandit   nobisque   prompte    convolantibus   et   domus   alveo 

5  receptis  demonstrat  horreum,  ubi  vespera  sagaciter  argen- 
tum  copiosum  recondi  viderat.  Quo  protinus  perfracto 
confertae  manus  violentia,  iubeo  singulos  conimilitonum 
asportare  quantum  quisque  poterat  auri  vel  argenti,  et  in 
illis  aedibus  fidelissimorum   mortuorum  occultare  propere 

10  rursumque  concito  gradu  recurrentis  sarcinas  iterare  ;  quod 
enim  ex  usu  foret  omnium,  me  solum  resistentem  pro  domus 
limine  cuncta  rerum  exploraturum  sollicite,  dum  redirent. 
Nam  et  facies  ursae  mediis  aedibus  discurrentis  ad  proter- 
rendos,  si  qui  de  familia  forte  evigilassent,  videbatur  op- 

15  portuna.  Quis  enim,  quamvis  f ortis  et  intrepidus,  immani 
forma  tantae  bestiae  noctu  praesertim  visitata  non  se  ad 
fugam  statim  concitaret,  non  obdito  cellae  pessulo  pavens 
et  trepidus  sese  cohiberet  ? 

His   omnibus    salubri   consilio   recte   dispositis   occurrit 

20scaevus  eventus.  Namque  dum  reduces  socios  nostros 
suspensus  opperior,  quidam  servulum  strepitu  scilicet  vel 
divinitus  inquietus  proserpit  leniter  visaque  bestia,  quae 
libere  discurrens  totis  aedibus  comuieabat,  premens  obnixum 
silentium  vestigium  suum  replicat  et  utcumque  cunctis  in 

25domo  visa  pronuntiat. 

Nee  mora,  cum  numerosae  familiae  frequentia  domus  tota 
completur.  Taedis,  lucernis,  cereis,  sebaciis  et  ceteris 
nocturni  luminis  instrumentis  clarescunt  tenebrae.  Nee 
inermis   quisquam   de    tanta    copia   processit,    sed   singuli 

30  fustibus,  lanceis,  destrietis  denique  gladiis  armati  muniunt 
aditus.  Nee  secus  canes  etiam  venatic^os  aiivitos  illos  et 
horricomes  ad  comprimendam  bestiam  culiortantur.     Tunc 


THE   ROBBER'S   TALE  27 

ego  sensim  gliscente  adhuc  illo  tumultu  retrogradi  fuga 
domo  facesso,  sed  plane  Thrasyleonein  mire  canibus  repug- 
nantem,  latens  pone  ianuam  ipse,  prospicio.  Quamquam 
enim  vitae  metas  ultimas  obiret,  non  tamen  sui  nostrique 
vel  pristinae  virtutis  oblitus  iam  faucibus  ipsis  hiantis  5 
Cerberi  reluctabat. 

Scaenam  denique,  quam  sponte  sumpserat,  cum  anima 
retinens  nunc  fugiens,  nunc  resistens  variis  corporis  sui 
schemis  ac  motibus  tandem  domo  prolapsus  est.  Nee 
tamen,  quamvis  publica  potitus  libertate,  salutem  fuga  10 
quaerere  potuit.  Quippe  cuncti  canes  de  proximo  angi- 
portu  satis  feri  satisque  copiosi  venaticis  illis,  qui  commo- 
dum  domo  similiter  insequentes  processerant,  se  obmiscent 
agminatim.  Miserum  funestumque  spectamen  aspexi,  Thra- 
syleonem  nostrum  catervis  canum  saevientium  cinctum  15 
atque  obsessum  multisque  numero  morsibus  laniatum. 

Denique   tanti   doloris    impatiens    populi    circumfluentis 
turbelis  immisceor  et  in  quo  solo  poteram  celatum  auxi- 
lium   bono   ferre   commilitoni,   sic  indaginis  principes  de- 
hortabar :   "  0  grande,"  inquam,  "  et   extremum  flagitium,  20 
magnam  et  vere  pretiosam  perdimus  bestiam." 

Nee  tamen  nostri  sermonis  artes  infelicissimo  profuerunt 
iuveni ;    quippe    quidam    procurrens    e    domo   procerus    et 
validus   incunctanter   lanceam    mediis    iniecit   ursae   prae- 
cordiis  nee  secus  alius  et  ecce  plurimi,  iam  timore  discusso,  25 
certatim  gladios  etiam  de  proximo  congerunt. 

Enimvero  Thrasyleon  egregium  decus  nostrae  factionis 
tandem  immortalitate  digno  illo  spiritu  expugnato  magis 
quam  patientia  neque  clamore  ac  ne  ululatu  quidem  fidem 
sacramenti  prodidit,  sed  iam  morsibus  laceratus  ferroqueSO 
laniatus  obnixo  mugitu  et  ferino  fremitu  praesentem  casum 
generoso  vigore  tolerans  gloriam  sibi  reservavit,  vitam  fato 


28  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

redidit.  Tanto  tamen  torrore  tantaque  formidine  coetum 
ilium  turbaverat,  ut  usque  diluculum,  immo  et  in  multum 
diem  nemo  quisquam  fuerit  ausus,  quamvis  iacentem, 
bestiam  vel  digito  contingere,  nisi  tandem  pigre  ac  timide 

5  quidam  lanius  paulo  fidentior,  utero  bestiae  resecto,  ursae 
magnificum  despoliavit  latronem. 

Sic  etiam  Thrasyleon  nobis  perivit,  sed  a  gloria  non 
perivit.  Confestim  itaque  constrictis  sarcinis  illis,  quas 
nobis  servaverant  fideles  mortui,  Plataeae  terniinos  concito 

10  gradu  deserentes,  istud  apud  nostros  animos  identidem  re- 
putabamus,  merito  nullam  fidem  in  vita  nostra  repperiri, 
quod  ad  manis  iam  et  mortuos  odio  perlidiae  nostrae  de- 
migrarit.  Sic  onere  vecturae  simul  et  asperitate  viae  toti 
fatigati,    tribus    comitum   desideratis,   istas    quas   videtis 

15  praedas  adveximus. 


THE  TKAGEDY  OF  TLEPOLEMUS   AND   OHAEITE 

Equisones  opilionesque,  etiam  busequae,  fuit  Cliarite  nobis, 
quae  misella  et  quidem  casu  gravissimo  nee  vero  incomitata 
Manis  adivit.  Sed  ut  cuncta  noritis,  referam  vobis  a  capite, 
quae  gesta  sunt  quaeque  possent  merito  doctiores,  quibus 
stilos  fortuna  subministrat,  iu  historiae  specimen  chartis  5 
iuvolvere. 

Erat  in  proxima  civitate  iuvenis  natalibus  praenobilis, 
quo  clarus  eo  pecuniae  fuit  satis  locuples,  sed  luxuriae 
popinalis  scortisque  et  diurnis  potationibus  exercitatus 
atque  ob  id  factionibus  latronum  male  sociatus  nee  non  10 
etiam  manus  infectus  humano  cruore,  Thrasyllus  nomine. 
Idque  sic  erat  et  fama  dicebat. 

Hie,  cum  primum  Charite  nubendo  maturuisset,  inter 
praecipuos  procos  summo  studio  petitionis  eius  munus 
obierat  et  quanquam  ceteris  omnibus  id  genus  viris  anti-15 
staret  eximiisque  muneribus  parentum  invitaret  indicium, 
morum  tamen  inprobatus  repulsae  contumelia  fuerat  as- 
persus.  Ac  dum  erilis  puella  in  boni  Tlepolemi  manum 
venerat,  tirmiter  deorsus  delapsum  nutriens  amorem  et 
denegati  thalami  permiscens  indignationem,  cruento  facinori  20 
quaerebat  accessum. 

Nanctus  denique  praesentiae  suae  tempestivam  occa- 
sionem,  sceleri  quod  diu  eogitarat  accingitur.  Ac  die  quo 
praedonum  infestis  mucronibus  puella  fuerat  astu  virtutibus- 

29 


30  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

que  sponsi  sui  liberata,  turbae  gratulantium  exultans  in- 
signiter  permiscuit  sese  salutique  praeseuti  ac  futurae 
suboli  novorum  maritorum  gaudibundus  ad  honorem  splen- 
didae  prosapiae  inter  praecipuos  bospites  domum  nostram 

5  receptus,  oecultato  consilio  sceleris,  amici  fidelissimi  per- 
sonam mentiebatur. 

lamque  sermonibus  assiduis  et  conversatione  frequenti, 
nonnunquam  etiam  cena  poculoque  communi  carior  eariorque 
factus  in  profundam  ruinam  Cupidinis  sese  paulatim  nescius 

10  praecipitaverat.  Quidni,  cum  flamma  saevi  amoris  parva 
quidem  primo  vapore  delectet,  sed  fomentis  consuetudinis 
exaestuans  inmodicis  ardoribus  totos  amburat  homines. 

Diu  denique  deliberaverat  secum  Thrasyllus,  quod  nee 
clandestinis    colloquiis    opportunum    repperiret    locum   et 

15  adulterinae  Veneris  magis  magisque  praeclusos  aditus  copia 
custodientium  cerneret  novaeque  atque  gliscentis  affectionis 
firmissimum  vinculum  non  posse  dissociari  perspiceret  et 
puellae,  si  vellet,  quanquam  velle  non  posset,  furatrinae 
coniugalis  incommodaret  rudimentum ;    et   tamen   ad   hoc 

20  ipsum,  quod  non  potest,  contentiosa  pernieie,  quasi  posset, 
impellitur.  Quod  nunc  arduum  factu  putatur,  amore  per 
dies  roborato  facile  videtur  eii'ectu.  Spectate  denique,  sed, 
oro,  sollicitis  animis  intendite,  quorsum  furiosae  libidinis 
proruperint  impetus. 

25  Die  quadam  venatum  Tlepolemus  assumpto  Thrasyllo 
petebat  iudagaturus  feras,  si  quid  tamen  in  capreis  feritatis 
est ;  nee  enim  Charite  maritum  suum  quaerere  patiebatur 
bestias  armatas  dente  vel  coriiu. 

lamque   ajjud    f'rondosum   tumulum  ramorumque   densis 

30  tegminihus  umhrosuin  prosjjectu  vestigatorum  oV)septi3 
capreis  canes  veiiationis  iudagini  geiierosae,  mandato  cubili 
resideutes  iuvadereut   bestias,  immittuntur   statimque  sol- 


TLEPOLEMUS   AiNl)   CHAKITE  31 

lertis  disciplinae  memores  partitae  totos  praecingunt  aditus 
tacitaque  prius  servata  mussitatione,  signo  sibi  repentino 
reddito,  latratibus  fervidis  dissonisque  miscent  omnia. 

Nee  ulla  caprea  nee  pavens  dammula  nee  prae  ceteris 
feris  mitior  eerva,  sed  aper  inimanis  atque  invisitatus  ex-  5 
surgit  toris  callosae  eutis  obesus,  pilis  inhorrentibus  corio 
squalidus,  setis  insurgentibus  spinae  hispidus,  deutibus 
attritu  sonaci  spumeus,  oculis  aspectu  minaei  flammeus, 
impetu  saevo  frementis  oris  totus  fulmineus.  Et  prinium 
quidem  canum  procaeiores,  quae  comminus  eontulerant  10 
vestigium,  genis  hac  illae  iactatis  consectas  interlicit,  dein 
calcata  retiola,  qua  primos  impetus  reduxerat,  transabiit. 

Et  nos  quidem  cuncti  pavore  deterriti  et  alioquin  innoxiis 
venationibus  consueti,  tunc  etiam  inermes  atque  inmuniti 
tegumentis    frondis   vel    arboribus    latenter   abscondimus.  15 
Thrasyllus  vero  nactus  fraudium  opportunum  deeipulum  sic 
Tlepolemum  eaiDtiose  eompellat :  "  Quid  stupore  confusi  vel 
etiam  cassa  formidine  similes  humilitati  servorum  istorum 
vel  in  modum  pavoris  feminei  deieeti  tarn  opimam  praedam 
mediis    manibus   amittimus  ?      Quin    equos    inseendimus  ?  20 
Quin  ocius  indipiscimur  ?     En  cape  venabulum  et  ego  sumo 
lanceam  "  nee  tantillum  morati  protinus  insiliunt  equos  ex 
summo  studio  bestiam  insequentes.     Nee  tamen  ilia  genuini 
vigoris    oblita    retorquet    impetum    et    incendio    feritatis 
ardescens  dente  compulso,  quern   primum  insiliat,  euncta-25 
bunda  rimatur. 

Sed  prior  Tlepolemus  iaculum,  quod  gerebat,  insuper  dor- 
sum bestiae  contorsit.  At  Thrasyllus  ferae  quidem  pepereit, 
sed  equi,  quo  vehebatur  Tlepolemus,  postremos  poplites 
lancea  feriens  amputat.  Quadrupes  reccidens,  qua  sanguis  30 
effluxerat,  toto  tergo  supinatus  invitus  dominum  suum 
devolvit  ad  terram. 


32  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Nec  diu,  sed  eum  furens  aper  invadit  iacentem  ac  primo 
lacinias  eius,  mox  ijDSum  resurgentem  multo  dente  laniavit. 
Nee  coepti  nefarii  bonum  piguit  amicum  vel  suae  saevitiae 
litatum   saltern   tanto  periculo  cernens  potuit  expleri,  sed 

5  percito  atque  plagosa  crura  contegenti  suumque  auxiliuin 
miseriter  roganti  per  femus  dexterum  dimisit  lanceam  tanto 
ille  quidem  fidentius,  quanto  crederet  ferri  vulnera  similia 
futura  prosectu  dentium.  Nee  non  tamen  ipsam  quoque 
bestiam  facili  manu  transadigit. 

10  Ad  hunc  modum  deliuito  iuvene,  exciti  latibulo  suo  quisque 
familia  maesta  concurrinius.  At  ille  quamquam  perfecto 
voto,  prostrate  inimico  laetus  ageret,  vultu  tamen  gaudium 
tegit  et  frontem  adseverat  et  dolorem  simulat  et  cadaver, 
quod  ipse  fecerat,  avide  circumplexus  omnia  quidem  lugen- 

15  tium  officia  sollerter  adfinxit,  sed  solae  lacrimae  procedere 
noluerunt.  Sic  ad  nostri  simultudinem,  qui  vere  lamenta- 
bamur,  conformatus  manus  suae  culpam  bestiae  dabat. 

Necdum  satis  scelere  transacto,  fama  dilabitur  et  cursus 
primes  ad  domum  Tlepolemi  detorquet  et  aures  infelicis 

20  nuptae  percutit.  Quae  quidem  simul  percepit  tale  nuntium, 
quale  non  audiet  aliud,  amens  et  vecordia  percita  cursuque 
bacchata  furibundo  per  plateas  populosas  et  arva  rurestria 
fertur  insana  voce  casum  mariti  quiritans.  Confluunt  civium 
maestae  catervae,  secuiitur  obvii  dolore  sociato,  civitas  cuncta 

25  va(niatur  studio  visionis. 

Et  ecce  mariti  cadaver  accurrit  labauti(jue  spiritu  totam 
se  super  corpus  effudit  ac  paenissime  ibidem,  quam  devoverat 
ei  reddidit  animam.  Sed  aegi-e  manibus  erepta  suorum 
invita  remansit  in  vita,  runus  vero  toto  feralem  pompam 

30 prosequente  populo  deducituv  ;i(l  scpulturani. 

Sed  Thrasyllus  nimium  uiniius  cl.'iinare,  plangere  et,  (pias 
in  primo  maerore  lacrimas  nou  hahebat,  iam  scilicet  ores- 


TLEl'OLEMUS   AND   CHAHrriC  33 

cente  gaudio  reddere  et  multis  caritatis  nomiinbiis  Verita- 
tem  ipsaiii  fallere.  Ilium  amicuiu,  coaetaneum,  contuber- 
nalem,  fratrem  denique  addito  nomine  lugul)ri  ciere,  nee  non 
interdum  mauus  Cliarites  a  pulsandis  uLeribus  amovere,  luc- 
tum  sedare,  heiulatum  eoercere,  verbis  palpantibus  stimu-  5 
lum  doloris  obtundere,  variis  exemplis  multivagi  casus  solacia 
nectere,  cunctis  tamen  mentitae  pietatis  officiis  studium 
contrectandae  mulieris  adhibere  odiosumque  amorem  suum 
perperam  delectando  nutrire. 

Sed  officiis  inferialilms  statim  exactis  jjuella  protinus  fes-io 
tinat  ad  maritum  suum  demeare  cunctascpie  prorsus  per- 
temptat  vias,  certe  illam  lenem  otiosamque  nee  telis  ullis 
indigentem,  sed  placidae  quieti  consimilem ;  inedia  denique 
misera  et  incuria  squalida,  tenebris  imis  abscondita,  iani  cum 
luce  transegerat.  15 

Sed  Thrasyllus  instantia  pervicaci  partim  per  semet  ipsum, 
partim  per  ceteros  familiares  ac  necessaries,  ipsos  denique 
puellae  parentes  extorquet  tandem,  iam  lurore  et  inluvie 
paene  conlapsa  membra  lavacro,  cibo  denique  confoveret. 
At  ilia,  parentum  suorum  alioquin  reverens,  invita  quidem,  20 
verum  religiosae  necessitati  su])cumbens,  vultu  non  quidem 
hilaro,  verum  paulo  sereniore  obiens,  ut  iubebatur,  viven- 
tium  munia,  prorsus  in  pectore,  immo  vero  penitus  in  medullis 
luctu  ac  maerore  carpebat  animum ;  et  dies  totos  totasque 
noctes  insuniel)at  luctuoso  desiderio  et  imagines  defuncti,  25 
quas  ad  habitum  dei  Liberi  f ormaverat,  adfixo  servitio  divinis 
percolens  honoribus  ipso  se  solacio  cruciabat.  Verum  Thra- 
syllus, praeceps  alioquin  et  de  ipso  nomine  temerarius,  prius- 
quam  dolorem  lacrimae  satiarent  et  percitae  mentis  resideret 
furor  et  in  sese  nimietatis  senio  lassesceret  luctus,  adhuc  30 
flentem  maritum,  adhuc  vestes  lacerantem,  adhuc  capillos 
distrahentem  non  dubitavit  de  nuptiis  convenire  et  impu- 


34  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

dentiae  labe  tacita  pectoris  sui  secreta  fraudesque  ineffabiles 
detegere.  Sed  Charite  vocem  nefandam  et  horruit  et  de- 
testata  est  et  velut  gravi  tonitru  procellaque  sideris  vel  etiam 
ipso   diali   fulinine  percussa  corruit  corpus  et  obnubilavit 

5  animam. 

Sed  intervallo  revalescente  paulatim  spiritu,  ferinos 
mugitus  iterans  et  iam  scaenam  pessimi  Thrasylli  perspiciens, 
ad  limam  consili  desiderium  petitoris  distulit.  Tunc  inter 
moras  umbra  ilia  misere  trucidati  Tlepolemi  sanie  cruentam 

10  et  pallore  deformem  attolleus  faciem  quietem  pudicam 
interpellat  uxoris :  ''  Mi  coniux,  quod  tibi  prorsus  ab  alio 
dici  non  licebit,  etsi  pectori  tuo  iam  permarcet  nostri  memoria 
vel  acerbae  mortis  meae  casus  f oedus  caritatis  intercedit,  — 
quovis  alio  felicius  maritare,  modo  ne  in  Thrasylli  manum 

15  sacrilegam  convenias  neve  sermonem  conferas  nee  mensam 
accumbas  nee  toro  adquiescas.  Fuge  mei  percussoris  cruen- 
tam dexteram.  Noli  parricidio  nuptias  auspicari.  Vulnera 
ilia,  quorum  sanguinem  tuae  lacrimae  proluerunt,  non  sunt 
tota  dentium  vulnera ;    lancea  mali  Thrasylli  me  tibi  fecit 

20alienum"  et  addidit  cetera  omnemque  scaenam  sceleris  in- 
luminavit. 

At  ilia,  ut  primum  maesta  quieverat  toro  faciem  impressa, 
etiamnunc  dormiens,  lacrimis  emanantibus  genas  cohumidat 
et   velut   quoddam   tormentum    inopinatum    patiens    luctu 

25  redintegrato  prolixum  heiulat  discissaque  interula  decora 
brachia  saevientibus  palmulis  converberat.  Nee  tamen  cum 
quoquam  participatis  nocturuis  imaginibus,  sed  indicio 
facinoris  prorsus  dissimulato  et  nequissimum  percussorem 
punire  et  aerumnabili  vitae  sese  subtrahere  tacita  decernit. 

30  E(;ce  rursus  improvidae  voluj)tatis  detestabilis  petitor 
aureS  obseratas  de  nuptiis  obtundens  aderat.  Sed  ilia 
clementer  aspernata  sermonem  Thrasylli  astuque  miro  per- 


TLEPOLEMUS   AND   CHAKITE  35 

sonata  instanter  garrienti  summisseque  deprecanti "  Adhuc," 
inquit,  "  tui  fratris  meique  carissimi  mariti  facies  pulchra 
ilia  in  meis  deversatur  oculis,  adhuc  odor  cinnameus  ainbrosei 
corporis  per  nares  meas  percurrit,  adhuc  formonsus  Tlepo- 
lemus  in  meo  vivit  pectore.  Boni  ergo  et  optimi  eonsules,  5 
si  luctui  legitimo  miserrimae  feminae  necessarium  concesse- 
ris  tempus,  quoad  residuis  mensibus  spatium  reliquum 
compleatur  anni,  quae  res  cum  meum  pudorem,  turn  etiam 
tuum  salutare  commoduni  respicit,  ne  forte  inmaturitate 
nuptiarum  indignatione  iusta  manes  acerbos  mariti  ad  10 
exitium  salutis  tuae  suscitemus." 

Nee  isto  sermone  Thrasyllus  sobriefactus  vel  saltern 
tempestiva  pollieitatione  recreatus  identidem  pergit  lingua 
aestuanti  susurros  improbos  inurguere,  quoad  simulanter 
revicta  Charite  suscipit :  "  Istud  equidem  certe  magnopere  15 
deprecanti  concedas  necesse  est  mihi,  Thrasylle,  ut  interdum 
taciti  clandestinos  coitus  obeamus  nee  quisquam  persentiscat 
familiarium  quoad  dies  reliquos  metiatur  annus." 

Promissioni  fallaciosae  mulieris  oppressus  subcubuit 
Thrasyllus  et  prolixe  consentit  noctemque  et  opertas  exoptat  20 
ultro  tenebras  uno  potiundi  studio  postponens  omnia. 
"  Sed  heus  tu,"  inquit  Charite,  "  quam  probe  veste  contectus 
omnique  comite  viduatus  prima  vigilia  tacitus  fores  meas 
accedas  unoque  sibilo  contentus  nutricem  istam  meam 
opperiare,  quae  claustris  adhaerens  excubabit  adventui  tuo.  25 
Nee  setius  patefactis  aedibus  acceptum  te  nullo  lumine 
conscio  ad  meum  perducet  cubiculum." 

Placuit     Thrasyllo     scaena     feralium     nuptiarum.     Nee 
sequius  aliquid  suspicatus,  sed  expectatione  turbidus  de  diei 
tantum  spatio  et  vesperae  mora  querebatur.     Sed  ubi   sol  30 
tandem  nocti  decessit,  ex  imperio  Charites  adornatus  et  nu- 
tricis  captiosa  vigilia  deceptus  inrepit  cubiculum  pronus  spei. 


36  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Tunc  anus  de  iussu  clominae  blandiens  ei  furtim  de- 
promptis  calicibus  et  oenophoro,  quod  inmixtum  vino  sopori- 
ferum  gerebat  venenum,  crebris  potionibus  avide  ac  secure 
liaurienteni  mentita  dominae    tarditatem,   quasi   parentem 

5.  adsideret  aegrotum,  facile  sepelivit  ad  sonmum.  lamque  eo 
ad  omnes  iniurias  exposito  ac  supinato,  introvocata  Charite 
masculis  animis  impetuque  diro  fremens  invadit  ac  super- 
sistit  sicarium. 

"En,",  inquit,    "lidus    coniugis    mei    comes,    en  venator 

10  egregius,  en  earns  maritus.  Haec  est  ilia  dextera,  quae 
meum  sanguinem  fudit,  hoc  pectus,  quod  fraudulentas 
ambages  in  meum  concinnavit  exitium,  oculi  isti,  quibus 
male  placui,  qui  quodam  modo  futuras  tenebras  auspicantes 
venientes  poenas  antecedunt.     Quiesce  securus,  beate  som- 

15  niare,  Non  ego  te  gladio,  non  f erro  petam  ;  absit,  ut  simili 
mortis  genere  cum  marito  meo  coaequeris.  Vivo  tibi 
morientur  oculi  nee  quicquam  videbis  nisi  dormiens.  Faxo, 
feliciorem  necem  inimici  tui  quam  vitam  tuam  sentias. 
Lumen  certe  non  videbis,  manu  comitis  indigebis,  Chariten 

20  non  tenebis,  nuptias  non  frueris,  nee  mortis  quiete  recreaberis 
nee  vitae  voluptate  laetaberis,  sed  incertum  simulacrum 
errabis  inter  Orcum  et  solem  et  diu  quaeres  dexteram,  quae 
tuas  ex})Ugnavit  pupulas,  quodque  est  in  aerumna  miserri- 
mum,    nescies    de    quo    queraris.     At    ego    sepulchro    mei 

25Tlepolemi  tuo  luminum  cruore  libabo  et  Sanctis  manibus 
eius  istis  oculis  })arental)o.  Hcd  (piid  mora  temporis  dignum 
cruciatum  lucraris  et  nieos  forsitan  tibi  pestiferos  imaginaris 
amplexus  ?  Relictis  somnolentis  tenebris  ad  aliam  poenalem 
evigila  caliginem.     Attolle  vacuam   faciem,   vindictam  re- 

30 cognosce,  inroitiiiiiuin  intellege,  aerumnas  conqjuta.  Sic 
])udi(;a(!  mulicri  tui  |»hu!uerunt  oculi,  sic  faces  nuptiales 
tuos    illuiiiiuariint   tlialamos.       Ultrices    habebis    pronubas 


TLEPOLEMUS   AND   CHAKITE  37 

et    orbitatem    comitem    et    perpetuae    conscientiae    stim- 
ulum." 

Ad  hunc  modum  vaticinata  niulier  acu  crinali  capite 
depromta  Thrasylli  convulnerat  tota  lumina  eumque  prorsus 
exoculatum  relinqueus,  dum  dolore  nescio  crapulam  cum  5 
somno  discutit,  arrepto  nudo  gladio,  quo  se  Tlepolemus 
solebat  incingere,  per  mediam  civitatem  cursu  furioso  pro- 
ripit  se  et  procul  dubio  nescio  quod  scelus  gestieus  recta 
monumentum  mariti  contendit.  At  nos  et  omnis  populus, 
nudatis  totis  aedibus,  studiose  coiisequimur  hortati  mutuo  10 
ferrum  vesanis  extorquere  manibus. 

Sed  Charite  capulum  Tlepolenii  propter  assistens  gladioque 
fulgenti  singulos  abigens,  ubi  fietus  uberes  et  lamentationes 
varias  cunctorum  intuetur,  "  Abicite,"  inquit,  "  importunas 
lacrimas,  abicite  luctum  meis  virtutibus  alienum.  Vindi-15 
cavi  in  niei  mariti  cruentum  peremptorem,  punita  sum 
funestum  mearum  nuptiarum  praedonem.  lam  tempus  est 
ut  isto  gladio  deorsus  ad  meum  Tlepolemum  viam  quaeram." 

Et  enarratis  ordine  singulis,  quae  sibi  per  somnium  nun- 
tiaverat  maritus  quoque  astu  Thrasyllum  inductum  petisset,  20 
ferro  sub  papillam  dexteram  transadacto  cbrruit  et  in  suo 
sibi  pervolutata  sanguine  postremo  balbuttiens  incerto 
sermone  efflavit  animam  virilem.  Tunc  propere  familiares 
miserae  Charites  accuratissime  corpus  ablutum  unita  sepul- 
tura  ibidem  marito  perpetuam  coniungem  reddidere.  25 

Thrasyllus  vero  cognitis  omnibus,  nequiens  idoneum 
exitura  praesenti  cladi  reddere  certusque  tanto  facinori  nee 
gladium  sufficere,  sponte  delatus  ibidem  ad  sepulchrum", 
"  Ultronea  vobis,  infesti  Manes,  en  adest  victima "  saepe 
clamitans,  valvis  super  sese  diligenter  obseratis  inediaso 
statuit  elidere  sua  sententia  damnatum  spiritum. 


VI 

EATEN  ALIVE 

Servus  quidam,  cui  cunctam  familiae  tutelam  dominus 
permiserat  suus  quique  possessionem  maximain  illam,  in 
quam  deverteramus,  villicabat,  habens  ex  eodem  famulitio 
conservam  coniugam,  liberae  cuiusdam  extrariaeque  mulieris 

5  flagrabat  cupidine.  Quo  dolore  paelicatus  uxor  eius  instricta 
cunctas  mariti  rationes  et  quicquid  horreo  reconditum  con- 
tinebatur  adnioto  combussit  igne. 

Nee  tali  damno  tori  sui  contumeliam  vindicasse  contenta, 
iam  contra  sua  saeviens  viscera  laqueum  sibi  nectit  infantu- 

lolumque,  quern  de  eodem  marito  iam  dudum  susceperat, 
eodem  funiculo  nectit  seque  per  altissimum  puteum  adpen- 
dicem  parvulum  trahens  praecipitat.  Quam  mortem  domi- 
nus eorum  aegerrime  sustinens  adreptum  servulum,  qui 
causam   tanti   sceleris   uxori   suae   praestiterat,  nudum  ac 

15totum  melle  perlitum  iirmiter  alligavit  arbori  ficulneae, 
cuius  in  ipso  carioso  stipite  inhabitantium  formicarum 
iiidititda  borriebant  et  ultro  citro  commeabant  multiiuga 
scaturrigine. 

Quae  simul  dulcem  ac  mellitum   corporis  nidorem   per- 

20  sentiscunt,  parvis  quidem,  sed  numerosis  et  continuis  morsi- 
unculis  penitus  inhaerentes,  i)er  longi  teniporis  cruciatum 
ita,  carnibus  atque  ipsis  visceribus  adesis,  homine  consumpto 
membra  nudarunt,  ut  ossa  tantum  viduata  pulpis  nitore 
nimio  candentia  funestae  cohaererent  arbori. 

.88 


VII 

THE  LOST  SLIPPERS 

Barbarus  iste  cum  necessariam  profectionem  pararet 
pudicitiamque  carae  coniugis  conservare  summa  diligentia 
cuperet,  servulum  suum  Myrmecem  fidelitate  praecipua 
cognitum  secreto  commonet  suaeque  dominae  custodelam 
omnem  permittit,  carcerem  et  perpetua  vincula,  mortem  5 
denique  violentam  defamem  comminatus,  si  quisquam 
hominum  vel  in  transitu  digito  tenus  eam  contigisset,  idque 
deierans  etiam  coniirmat  per  omnia  divina  numina. 

Ergo  igitur  summo  pavore  perculsum  Myrmecem  acer- 
rimum  relinquens  uxori  secutorem,  securam  dirigit  profec- 10 
tionem.  Tunc  obstinato  animo  vehementer  anxius  Myrmex 
nee  usquam  dominam  suam  progredi  sinebat  et  lanificio 
domestico  destrictam  inseparabilis  adsidebat  ac  tantum 
necessario  vespertini  lavacri  progressu  adiixus  atque  couglu- 
tinatus  extremas  manu  prendens  lacinias,  mira  sagacitate  15 
commissae  provinciae  fidem  tuebatur. 

Sed  ardentem  Philesitheri  vigilantiam  matronae  nobilis 
pulchritudo  latere  non  potuit.  Atque  hac  ipsa  potissimum 
famosa  castitate  et  insignis  tutelae  nimietate  instinctus  at- 
que inflammatus,  quidvis  facere,  quidvis  pati  paratus,  ad  20 
expugnandam  tenacem  domus  disciplinam  totis  accingitur 
viribus  certusque  fragilitatis  humanae  fidei  et  quod  pecuniae 
cunctae  sint  difficultates  perviae  auroque  soleant  adaman- 
tinae  etiam  perfringi  fores,  opportune  uanctus  Myrmecis 
solitatem,  ei  amorem  suum  aperit  et  supplex  eum  medellam  25 

39 


40  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

cruciatui  deprecatur ;  nam  sibi  statutam  decretamque 
mortem  proximare,  ni  maturius  cupito  potiatur ;  nee  eum 
tamen  quicquam  in  re  facili  formidare  deLere,  quippe  cum 
vespera  solus  iide  tenebrarum  coutectus  atque  absconditus 

5  introrepere  et  intra  momentum  temporis  remeare  posset. 

His  et  huiusce  modi  suadelis  validum  addebat  cuneum,  qui 

rigentem   prorsus  servi   tenacitatem   violenter  diffinderet ; 

porrecta  enim  manu  sua  demonstrat  ei  novitate  nimia  can- 

dentes  solidos  aureos,  quorum  viginti  quidem  puellae  destin- 

10  asset,  ipsi  vero  decem  libenter  offerret.  Exhorruit  Myrmex 
inauditum  facinus  et  occlusis  auribus  effugit  protinus. 
Nee  auri  tamen  splendor  fiammeus  oculos  ijjsius  exire 
potuit,  sed  quam  procul  semotus  et  domum  celeri  gradu 
pervectus,  videbat  tamen  decora   ilia   monetae   lumina   et 

15  opulentam  praedam  iam  tenebat  animo  miroque  mentis  salo 
et  cogitationum  dissensione  misellus  in  diversas  sententias 
carpebatur  ac  distrahebatur  ;  illic  fides,  hie  lucrum,  illic  eru- 
ciatus,  hie  voluptas.  Ad  postremum  tamen  formidinem 
mortis  vicit  aurum. 

20  iSTec  saltem  spatio  cupido  formonsae  pecuniae  leniebatur, 
sed  nocturnas  etiam  curas  invaserat  pestilens  avarita,  ut, 
quamvis  erilis  eum  comminatio  domi  cohiberet,  aurum  tamen 
foras  evocaret.  Tunc,  devorato  pudore  et  dimota  cuncta- 
tione,  sic   ad  aures   dominae   mandatum   perfert.      Nee   a 

25  genuina  levitate  descivit  niulier,  sed  execrando  metallo 
pudicitiam  suam  ])rotinus  auctorata  est. 

Ita  gaudio  perfusus  ad  suae  iidei  praecipitium  properat 
Myrmex,  non  modo  capere,  verum  saltem  contingere,  quam 
exitio  suo  viderat,  ])e('uniam  cui)iens,  et  magnis  suis  labori- 

.30  bus  perfectum  desid(!riuni  Philesithero  laetitia  percitus 
nuntiat  statimque  destinatum  praemium  reposcit,  et  tenet 
nummos  aureos  manus  Myrmecis,  quae  nee  aereos  norat. 


THE    LOST   SLIPPERS  41 

lamque  nocte  promota  solum  perducit  ad  domum  pro- 
beque  capite  contectum  amatorem  strenuum  infert  adusque 
dominae  cubiculum. 

Contra  omnium  opinionem  captata  noctis  opportunitate 
improvisus    maritus    adsistit    suae   domus    ianuam.       lam  5 
pulsat,  iam  clamat,  iam  saxo  fores  verberat  et  ipsa  tarditate 
magis    magisque     suspectus    dira     comminatur    Myrmeci 
supplicia. 

At  ille  repentino  malo  perturbatus  et  misera  trepidatione 
ad  inopiam  eonsilii  deductus,  quod  solum  poterat,  nocturnas  10 
tenebras  sibi  causabatur  obsistere,  quin  clavem  curiose 
absconditam  repperiret.  Interdum  Pliilesitherus  cognito 
strepitu  raptim  tunicas  iniectus,  sed  plane  prae  turbatione 
pedibus  intectis  procurrit  cubiculo.  Tunc  Myrmex  tandem 
clave  pessulis  subiecta  repandit  fores  et  recipit  etiam  tunc  15 
fidem  deum  boantem  dominum  eoque  propere  cubiculum 
petente  clandestino  transcursu  dimittit  Pbilesitherum.  Quo 
iam  pro  limine  liberato  securus  sui  clausa  domo  rursum  se 
reddidit  quieti. 

Sed  dum  prima  luce  Barbarus  procedit  cubiculo,  videt  sub  20 
lectulo  soleas  incognitas,  quibus  inductus  Philesitherus 
inrepserat  suspectisque  e  re  nata  quae  gesta  sunt,  non  uxori, 
non  ulli  familiarium  cordolio  patefacto,  sublatis  iis  et  in 
sinum  furtim  absconditis,  iusso  tantum  Myrmece  per  con- 
servos  vincto  forum  versus  adtrahi,  tacitos  secum  mugitus  25 
iterans  rapidum  dirigit  gressum,  certus  solearum  indicio 
vestigium  adulteri  posse  se  perfacile  indipisei. 

Sed  ecce  per  plateam  dum  Barbarus  vultu  turgido  sub- 
ductisque  superciliis  incedit  iratus  ac  pone  eum  Myrmex 
vinculis  obrutus,  non  quidem  coram  noxae  prehensus,  con-  30 
scientia    tamen   pessima   permixtus    lacrimis    uberibus   ac 
postremis   lamentationibus   inefticacem    commovet   misera- 


42  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

tionem,  opportune  Philesitherus  occurrens,  quanquam 
diverso  quodam  negotio  destiuatus,  repentina  tamen  facie 
permotiis,  non  enim  deterritus,  recolens  festinationis  suae 
delictum  ac  cetera   consequenter   suspicatus    sagaciter   ex- 

5  temple  sumpta  familiari  constantia,  dimotis  servulis  invadit 
cum  summo  clamore  Myrmecem  pugnisque  malas  eius 
clementer  obtundens,  "  At  te,"  inquit,  "  nequissimum  et 
periurum  caput,  dominus  iste  tuus  et  cuncta  caeli  numina, 
quae   deierando  temere  devorasti,  pessimum  pessime   per- 

10  duint,  qui  de  balneis  soleas  hesterna  die  mihi  furatus  es, 
dignus,  qui  et  ista  vincula  conteras  et  insuper  carceris  etiam 
tenebras  perferas." 

Hac  opportuna  fallacia  vigorati  invenis  inductus,  immo 
sublatus  et  ad  credulitatem  delapsus  Barbarus,  postliminio 

15  domum  regressus,  vocato  Myrmece,  soleas  illas  offerens  et 
ignovit  ex  animo  et  uti  domiuo  redderet,  cui  surripuerat, 
suasit. 


VIII 
THE  FULLEE'S   WIFE 

Contubernalis  mei  fullonis  uxor,  alioquin  servati  pudoris 
ut  videbatur,  femina,  quae  semper  secuiido  rumore  gloriosa 
larem  mariti  pudice  gubernabat,  occulta  libidine  prorumpit 
in  adulterum  quempiam. 

Ergo  nostra  repents  turbata  praesentia,  subitario  ducta  5 
consilio,  eundem  ilium  subiectum  contegit  viminea  cavea, 
quae   fustium   flexu   tereti   in    rectum    aggerata   cumulum 
lacinias  circumdatas  suffusa  candido  fumo  sulpuris  inalba- 
bat,  eoque  iam  ut  sibi  videbatur,  tutissime  celato  mensam 
nobiscum  secura  participat.     Interdum  acerrimo  gravique  10 
odore   sulpuris  iuvenis  inescatus  atque  obnubilatus  inter- 
cluso  spiritu  diffluebat,  utque  est  ingenium  vivacis  metalli, 
crebras  ei  sternutationes  commovebat.     Atque  ut  primum 
e   regions   mulieris    pone   tergum    eius    maritus    accspsrat' 
sonum  sternutationis  —  quod  enim  putaret  ab  ea  prof ectum  15 
-^solito  sermone  salutem  ei  fuerat  imprecatus  et  iterato 
rursum   et  frequentato  saepius,  donee  rei  nimietate  com- 
motus  quod  rss  erat  tandem  suspicatur. 

Et  impulsa  mensa  protenus  remotaque  cavsa  producit 
hominsm  crebros  anhelitus  aegre  rsflantem  inflammatusque  20 
indignations  contumeliae,  gladium  flagitans,  iugulare  mori- 
turum  gestiebat,  ni  respecto  communi  periculo  vix  eum  ab 
impetu  furioso  cohibuissem  adsevsrans  brsvi  absque  noxa 
nostri  suapte  inimicum  eius  violentia  sulpuris  psriturum. 

43 


44  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Nec  suadela  mea,  sed  ipsius  rei  necessitate  lenitus,  quippe 
iam  semivivum,  ilium  in  proximum  deportat  angiportum. 
Turn  uxorem  eius  tacite  suasi  ac  denique  persuasi  secederet 
paululum  atque  ultra  limen  tabernae  ad  quampiam  tantisper 
5  deverteret  familiarem  sibi  mulierem,  quoad  spatio  fervens 
mariti  sedaretur  animus,  qui  tanto  calore  tantaque  rabie 
perculsus  non  erat  dubius  aliquid  etiam  de  se  suaque 
coniuge  tristius  profecto  cogitare.  Talium  contubernalis 
epularum  taedio  fugatus  larem  reveni  meum. 


IX 

THE  THREE  BEOTHERS 

Namque  is  adultis  iam  tribus  liberis  doctrina  instructis 
et  verecundia  praeditis  vivebat  gloriosus.  His  adulescenti- 
bus  erat  cum  quodam  paupere  modicae  casulae  domino 
vetus  familiaritas.  At  enim  casulae  parvulae  conterminos 
magnos  et  beatos  agros  possidebat  vicinus  potens  et  dives  5 
et  iuvenis,  sed  prosapiae  maiorum  gloria  male  utens  pollens- 
que  factionibus  et  cuncta  facile  faciens  in  civitate  ;  hie 
hostili  modo  vicini  tenuis  incursabat  pauperiem  pecua  truci- 
dando,  boves  abigendo,  fruges  adhuc  immaturas  obterendo. 

lamque  tota  frugalitate  spoliatum  ipsis  etiam  glebulis  ex-  lo 
terminare  gestiebat  finiumque  inani  commota  quaestione 
terram  totam  sibi  vindicabat.  Tunc  agrestis,  verecundus 
alioquin,  avaritia  divitis  iam  spoliatus,  ut  suo  saltem  sepul- 
cliro  paternum  retineret  solum,  amicos  plurimos  ad  demon- 
strationem  finium  trepidans  eximie  corrogarat,  Aderant  15 
inter  alios  tres  illi  fratres  cladibus  amici  quantulum  quan- 
tulum  ferentes  auxilium. 

Nee  tamen  ille  vesanus  tantillum  praesentia  multorum 
civium  territus  vel  etiam  confusus,  licet  non  rapinis,  saltem 
verbis  temperare  voluit,  sed  illis  clementer  expostulantibus  20 
fervidosque  eius  mores  blanditiis  permulcentibus  repente 
suam  suorumque  carorum  salutem  quam  sanctissime 
adiurans  adseverat  parvi  se  pendere  tot  mediatorum  prae- 
sentiam,  denique  vicinum  ilium  auriculis  per  suos  servulos 
sublatum  de  casula  longissime  statimque  proiectum  iri.  25 
Quo  dicto  insignis  indignatio  totos  audientium  pertemptavit 
animos. 

45 


46  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Tunc  unus  e  tribus  fratribus  incunctanter  et  paulo 
liberius  respondit  frustra  eum  suis  opibus  confisum  tyran- 
nica  superbia  comminari,  cum  alioquin  pauperes  etiam  lib- 
eral! legum  praesidio  de  insolentia  locupletum  consueverint 

5  vindicari.  Quod  oleum  flammae,  quod  sulpur  incendio, 
quod  flagellum  Furiae,  hoc  et  iste  sermo  truculentiae  homi- 
nis  nutrimento  fuit. 

lamque  ad  extremam  insaniam  vecors,  suspendium  sese  et 
totis  illis  et  ipsis  legibus  mandare  proclamans,  canes  pas- 

10  toricios  villaticos  feros  atque  immanes,  adsuetos  abiecta  per 
agros  esitare  cadavera,  praeterea  etiam  transeuntium  via- 
torum  passivis  morsibus  alumnatos,  laxari  atque  in  eorum 
exitium  inhortatos  immitti  praecepit.  Qui  simul  signo  so- 
lito  pastorum  incensi  atque  inflammati  sunt,  furiosa  rabie 

isconciti  et  latratibus  etiam  absonis  horribiles  eunt  in  ho- 
mines eosque  variis  adgressi  vulneribus  distrahunt  ac 
lacerant  nee  fugientibus  saltern  compercunt,  sed  eo  magis 
inritatiores  secuntur. 

Tunc  inter  confertam  trepidae  multitudinis    stragem   e 

20  tribus  iunior  oifenso  lapide  atque  obtunsis  digitis  terrae 
prosternitur  saevisque  illis  et  ferocissimis  canibus  instruit 
nefariam  dapem ;  protenus  enim  nancti  praedam  iacentem 
miserum  ilium  adolescentem  frustatim  discerpunt.  Atque 
ut  eius  letalem  ululatum  cognovere  ceteri  fratres,  accurrunt 

25  raaesti  suppetias  obvolutiscpie  lacinia  laevis  manibus  lapi- 
dum  crebris  iactibus  propuguare  fratri  atque  abigere  canes 
adgrediuntur. 

Nee  tamen  eorum  ferociam  vel  conterrere  vel  expugnare 
potuere,  quippe  cum  miserrimus   adulescens   ultima   voce 

30  prolata,  vindicarent  de  pollutissimo  divite  mortem  fratris 
iunioris,  ilico  laniatus  interisset.  Tunc  reliqui  fratres  non 
tam  hercules  desperata  quam  ultro  ueglecta  sua  salute  con- 


thp:  three  brothers  47 

tendunt  ad  divitem  atque  ardentibus  animis  impetuque 
vesano  lapidibus  crebris  in  euin  velitantur.  At  ille  cruen- 
tus  et  multis  ante  flagitiis  similibus  exercitatus  percussor 
iniecta  lancea  duorum  alteram  per  pectus  medium  transa- 
degit.  ■  Nee  tamen  peremptus  ac  prorsum  exanimatus  5 
adulescens  ille  terrae  concidit ;  nam  telura  transvectum 
atque  ex  maxima  parte  pone  tergum  elapsum  soloque  nisus 
violentia  defixum  rigore  librato  suspenderat  corpus.  Sed 
et  quidam  de  servulis  procerus  et  validus  sicario  illi  ferens 
auxilium  lapide  contorto  tertii  illius  iuvenis  dexterum  10 
brachium  longo  iactu  petierat,  sed  impetu  casso  per  extre- 
mes digitos  transcurrens  lapis  contra  omnium  opinionem 
deciderat  innoxius. 

Non  nullam  tamen  sagacissimo  iuveni  proventus  huma- 
nior  vindictae  speculam  subministravit.  Ficta  namque  15 
manus  suae  debilitate  sic  crudelissimum  iuvenem  compellat : 
"  Fruere  exitio  totius  nostrae  familiae  et  sanguine  trium 
fratrum  insatiabilem  tuam  crudelitatem  pasce  et  de  pros- 
tratis  tuis  civibus  gloriose  triumpba,  dum  scias,  licet  pri- 
vate suis  possessionibus  paupere  fines  usque  et  usque  20 
proterminaveris,  habiturum  te  tamen  vicinum  aliquem. 
Nam  haec  etiam  dextera,  quae  tuum  prorsus  amputasset 
caput,  iniquitate  fati  contusa  decidit." 

Quo  sermone  alioquin  exasperatus,  furiosus  latro  rapto 
gladio  sua  miserrimum  iuvenem  manu  perempturus  invadit  25 
avidus.  Nee  tamen  sui  molliorem  provocarat ;  quippe  in- 
sperato  et  longe  contra  eius  opinionem  resistens  iuvenis 
complexu  fortissimo  arripit  eius  dexteram  magnoque  nisu 
ferro  librato  multis  et  crebris  ictibus  inpuram  elidit  divitis 
animam  et,  ut  accurrentium  etiam  familiarium  manu  se  30 
liberaret,  confestim  adhuc  inimici  sanguine  delibuto  mu- 
crone  gulam  sibi  prorsus  exsecuit. 


X 

THE   ENAMOEED   STEPMOTHER 

Dominus  aediiim  habebat  iuvenein  lilium  probe  litteratum 
atque  ob  id  consequenter  pietate,  modestia  praecipuum, 
quern  tibi  quoqiie  provenisse  cuperes  vel  talem.  Huius 
matre  multo  ante  defuncta  rursum  matrimonium   sibi  re- 

5  paraverat  ductaque  alia  filium  procreaverat  alium,  qui 
adaeque  iam  duodecimum  amium  aetatis  supercesserat. 

Sed  noverca  forma  magis  quam  moribus  in  domo  mariti 
praepollens,  seu  naturaliter  impudica  seu  fato  ad  extremum 
impulsa  flagitium,  oculos  ad  privignum  adiecit.     Iain  ergo, 

10  lector  optime,  scito  te  tragoediam,  non  fabulam  legere  et  a 
socco  ad  coturnum  ascendere.  Sed  mulier  ilia,  quamdiu 
primis  elementis  Cupido  jjarvulus  nutriebatur,  inbecillis 
adhuc  eius  virilms  facile  fervorem  tenuem  deprimens  silentio 
resistebat.     At  ubi  completis  igne  vesano  totis  praecordiia 

15  inmodice  baceluitus  Amor  exaestuabat,  saevienti  deo  iam 
suecubuit,  et  languore  simulato  vulnus  animi  mentitur  in 
corporis  valetudine. 

Iam  cetera  salutis  vultusque  detrimenta  et  aegris  et 
amantibus  examussim  con  venire  nemo  qui  nesciat:    pallor 

2odeforinis,  marcentes  oculi,  lassa  genua,  quies  turbida  et 
suspiritus  cruciatus  tarditate  vehementior.  Crederes  et 
ilhmi  fiuctuare  tantuiii  va})()ri])us  f('l)viuin,  nisi  quod  et 
fleljat.  lieu  niedicorum  ignarae  mentes,  quid  venae  piilsus, 
quid   coloris   intemperantia,   quid    fatigatus    anhelitus    et 

48 


THE   ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER  49 

utrimqueseciis  iactatae  crebriter  laterum  mutuae  vicissitu- 
dines  ?  Dii  boni,  quam  facilis  licet  non  artitici  medico, 
cuivis  tamen  docto  Veneriae  cupidinis  comprehensio,  cum 
videas  aliquem  sine  corporis  calore  flagrantem. 

Ergo  igitur  inpatientia  furoris  altius  agitata  diutinum  5 
rupit  silentmm  et  ad  se  vocari  praecipit  filium  —  quod 
nomen  in  eo,  si  posset,  ne  ruboris  admoneretur,  libenter 
eraderet.  Nee  adulescens  aegrae  parentis  moratus  imperium, 
senili  tristitie  striatam  gerens  frontem,  cubiculum  petit, 
uxori  patris  matrique  fratris  utcumque  debitum  sistens  10 
obsequium.  Sed  ilia  cruciabili  silentio  diutissime  fatigata 
et  ut  in  quodam  vado  dubitationis  haerens  omne  verbum, 
quod  praesenti  sermoni  putabat  aptissimum,  rursum  impro- 
bans  nutante  etiam  nunc  pudore,  unde  potissimum  caperet 
exordium,  decunctatur.  15 

At  iuvenis  nihil  etiam  tunc  sequius  suspicatus  summisso 
vultu  rogat  ultro  praesentis  causas  aegritudinis.  Tunc  ilia 
nancta  solitudiuis  damnosam  occasionem  prorumpit  in 
audaciam  et  ubertim  adlacrimans  laciniaque  contegens 
faciem  voce  trepida  sic  eum  breviter  adfatur  :  "  Causa  omnis  20 
et  origo  praesentis  doloris  et  etiam  medela  ipsa  et  salus 
unica  mihi  tute  ipse  es.  Isti  enim  tui  oculi  per  meos  oculos 
ad  intima  delapsi  praecordia  meis  medullis  acerrimum  com- 
movent  incendium.  Ergo  miserere  tua  causa  pereuntis  nee 
te  religio  patris  omnino  deterreat,  cui  morituram  prorsus  25 
servabis  uxorem.  Illius  enim  recognoscens  imaginem  in 
tua  facie  merito  te  diligo.  Habes  solitudinis  plenam 
fiduciam,  habes  capax  necessarii  facinoris  otium.  Nam 
quod  nemo  novit,  paene  non  tit." 

Repentino  malo  perturbatus  adolescens,  quanquam  tale  30 
facinus    protinus    exhorruisset,   non    tamen    negationis    in- 
tempestiva  severitate   putavit    exasperandum,   sed   cautae 


50  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

promissionis  dilatione  lenieudum.  Ergo  prolixe  pollicetur 
et,  bonum  caperet  animum  refectionique  se  ac  saluti 
redderet,  impendio  suadet,  donee  patris  aliqua  profeetione 
liberum  voluptati  concederetur  spatium,  statiinque  se  refert 

5  a  noxio  conspectu  novercae.  Et  tarn  magnam  domus 
cladem  ratus  indigere  consilio  pleniore  ad  quendam  com- 
pertae  gravitatis  educatorem  senem  protinus  refert.  Xec 
quicquam  diutina  deliberatione  tam  salubre  visum  quam 
fuga  celeri  procellam  fortunae  saevientis  evadere. 

10  Sed  impatiens  vel  exiguae  dilationis  mulier  ficta  qualibet 
causa  confestim  marito  miris  persuadet  artibus  ad  longis- 
sime  dissitas  festiuare  villulas.  Quo  facto  maturatae  spei 
vesania  praeceps  promissae  libidinis  flagitat  vadimonium. 
Sed  iuvenis,  modo  istud  modo  aliud  causae  faciens,  execra- 

15  bilem  frustratur  eius  conspectum,  quoad  ilia,  nuntiorum 
varietate  pollicitationem  sibi  denegatam  manifesto  per- 
spiciens,  mobilitate  lubrica  nefarium  amorem  ad  longe 
deterius  transtulisset  odium. 

Et    adsumpto   statim    nequissimo    et   ad   omne   facinus 

20emancipato  quodam  dotali  servulo  perlidiae  suae  consilia 
communicat ;  nee  quicquam  melius  videtur  quam  vita  mise- 
rum  privare  iuvenem.  Ergo  missus  continuo  furcifer 
venenum  praesentarium  comparat  idque  vino  diligenter 
dilutum   insontis    privigni   praeparat   exitio.     Ac   dum   de 

LT)  oblationis  opportunitate  secum  noxii  deliberant  homines, 
forte  fortuna  puer  ille  iunior,  pr()i)rius  pessimae  feminae 
filius,  post  matutinum  lalwrem  studiorum  domum  se  re- 
cipiens,  prandio  iam  capto  sitiens  repertum  vini  poculum, 
in  quo  venenum  latebat  inclusum,  nescius  fraudis  occultae 

;«)  cont  iiiiio  pfrduxit  liaustu. 

Atque  uhi   frati'i  suo  ])aratani  mortem   ebibit,  exanimis 
terrae  procumbit,  illicoque  repentina  pueri  pernicie  paeda- 


THE    ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER  51 

gogus  commotus  ululabili  clamore  matrem  totamque  ciet 
familiam,  lamque  cognito  casu  noxiae  potionis  varie  quis- 
que  praesentium  auctores  insimulabant  extremi  facinoris. 
Sed  dira  ilia  femina  et  malitiae  novercalis  exemplar  unicum 
non  acerba  filii  morte,  non  parricidii  conscientia,  non  infor-  5 
tuuio  domus,  non  luctu  mariti  vel  aerumna  funeris  commota 
cladem  familiae  in  vindictae  compendium  traxit,  missoque 
protinus  cursore,  qui  vianti  marito  domus  expugnationem 
nuntiaret,  ac  mox  eodem  ocius  ab  itinere  regresso  per- 
sonata  nimia  temeritate  insimulat  privigni  veneno  filium  10 
suum  interceptum. 

Et  hoc  quidem  non  adeo  mentiebatur,  quod  iam  destinatam 
iuveni  mortem  praevenisset  puer,  sed  fratrem  iuniorem 
fingebat  ideo  privigni  scelere  peremptum,  quod  eius  pro- 
brosae  libidini,  qua  se  comprimere  temptaverat,  noluisset  15 
succumbere.  Nee  tam  inmanibus  contenta  mendaciis  adde- 
bat  sibi  quoque  ob  detectum  flagitium  eundem  ilium  gla- 
dium  comminari.  Tunc  infelix  duplici  iiliorum  morte 
percussus  magnis  aerumnarum  procellis  aestuat.  Nam  et 
iuniorem  incoram  sui  funerari  videbat  et  alterum  ob  inces-  20 
tum  parrieidiumque  capitis  scilicet  damnatum  iri  certo 
sciebat.  Ad  hoc  uxoris  dilectae  uimium  mentitis  lamenta- 
tionibus  ad  extremum  subolis  impellebatur  odium. 

Vixdum  pompae  funebres  et  sepultura  filii  fuerant  ex- 
plicatae,  et  statim  ab  ipso  eius  rogo  senex  infelix,  ora  sua  25 
recentibus  adhue  rigans  lacrimis  trahensque  cinere  sorden- 
tem  canitiem,  foro  se  festinus  immittit.  Atque  ibi  tum 
fletu,  tum  precibus  genua  etiam  decurionum  contingens 
nescius  fraudium  pessimae  mulieris  in  exitium  reliqui  filii 
plenis  operabatur  affectibus :  ilium  incestum  paterno  30 
thalamo,  ilium  parricidam  fraterno  exitio  et  in  comminata 
novercae  caede  sicarium.     Tanta  denique  miseratione  tan- 


52  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

taque  indignatione  curiam,  sed  et  plebem  maerens  inflamma- 
verat,  ut  remoto  iudicandi  taedio  et  accusatiouis  manifestis 
probationibus  et  responsionis  uieditatis  ambagibus  cuncti 
couclamariiit  lapidibus  obrutum  publicum  malum  publics 

5  vindicari. 

Magistratus  interim  metu  periculi  proprii,  ne  de  parvis 
indignationis  elementis  ad  exitium  disciplinae  civitatisque 
seditio  procederet,  partim  decuriones  deprecari,  partim 
populares  compescere,  ut  rite  et  more  maiorum  iudicio  red- 

lodito   et   utrimquesecus   allegationibus  examinatis   civiliter 

senteutia  promeretur  nee  ad  instar  barbaricae  feritatis  vel 

tyrannicae  impotentiae  damnaretur  aliquis  inauditus  et  in 

pace  placida  tam  dirum  saeculo  proderetur  exemplum. 

Placuit  salubre  consilium  et  ilico  iussus  praeco  pronun- 

15  tiat,  patres  in  curiam  convenirent.  Quibus  protinus  digni- 
tatis iure  consueta  loca  residentibus  rursum  praeconis 
vocatu  primus  accusator  incedit.  Tunc  demum  clamatus 
inducitur  etiam  reus,  et  exemplo  legis  Atticae  Martiique 
iudicii  causae  patronis   denuntiat  praeco   neque   priucipia 

20  dicere  neque  miserationem  commovere. 

Haec  ad  istum  modum  gesta  compluribus  mutuo  sermo- 
cinantibus  cognovi.  Quibus  autem  verbis  accusator  urserit, 
quibus  rebus  diluerit  reus  ac  prorus  orationes  altercatio- 
nesque  neque  ipse  absens  apud  praesepium  scire  neque  ad 

25VOS  quae  ignoravi  possum  enuntiare  sed  quae  plane  com- 
peri  ad  istas  litteras  proferam.  Simul  enim  finita  est 
dicentium  contentio,  veritatem  criminum  fidemque  proba- 
tionibus certis  instrui  nee  suspicionibus  tantam  coniecturam 
permitti  placuit  atque  ilium  potissimum  servum,  qui  solus 

30  haec  ita  gesta  esse  scire  diceretur,  sisti  modis  omnibus 
oportere. 

Nee   tantillum    cruciarius    ille    vel    fortuua   tam   magni 


THE   ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER  5o 

iudicii  vel  confertae  conspectu  curiae  vel  certe  noxia  con- 
scientia  sua  deterritus,  quae  ipse  finxerat,  quasi  vera, 
adseverare  atque  adserere  incipit:  quod  se  vocasset  indig- 
natus  fastidio  novercae  iuvenis,  quod,  ulciscens  iniuriam, 
filii  eius  mandaverit  necem,  quod  promisisset  grands  silentii  5 
praemium,  quod  recusanti  mortem  sit  comminatus,  quod 
venenum  sua  manu  temperatum  dandum  fratri  reddiderit, 
quod  ad  criminis  probationem  reservatum  poculum  nec- 
lexisse  suspicatus  sua  postremum  manu  porrexerit  puero. 

Haec  eximie  ac  nimis  ad  veritatis  imaginem  verberone  lO 
illo  simulata  cum  trepidatione  proferente  finitum  est  indi- 
cium.    Nee  quisquam  decurionum  tam  aequus  remanserat 
iuveni,  quin  eum  evidenter  noxae  compertum  insui  culleo 
pronuntiaret.     Cum  iam  sententiae  pares,  cunctorum  stilis 
ad  unum  sermonem   congruentibus,  ex  more  perpetuo   in  15 
urnam  aeream  deberent  conici,  quo  semel  conditis  calculis, 
iam   cum   rei   fortuna   transacto,   nihil    postea   commutari 
licebat,  sed  mancipabatur  potestas  capitis  in  manum  carni- 
ficis,  unus  e  curia  senior  prae  ceteris  compertae  fidei  atque 
auctoritatis  praecipuae  medicus  orificium  urnae  manu  con- 20 
tegens,  ne  quis  mitteret  calculum  temere,  haec  ad  ordinem 
pertulit :  "  Quod  aetatis  sum,  vobis  adprobatum  me  vixisse 
gaudeo,  nee  patiar  falsis  criminibus  petito  reo  manifestum 
homicidium  perpetrari  nee  vos,  qui  iure  iurando  adstricti 
iudicatis,  inductos  servuli  mendacio  peierare.     Ipse  non  pos-  25 
sum  calcata  numinum  religions  conscientiam  meam  fallens 
perperam  pronuntiare.     Ergo,  ut  res  est,  de  me  cognoscite. 

"  Furcifer  iste,  venenum  praesentarium  comparare  solli- 
citus  centumque  aureos   solidos  offerens  pretium,  me  non 
olim  convenerat,  quod  aegroto  cuidam  dicebat  necessarium,  30 
qui    morbi    inextricabilis    veterno    vehementer    implicitus 
vitae  se  cruciatui  subtrahere  gestiret. 


54  LUCIUS   ArULEIUS 

'*  At  ego,  perspiciens  malum  istum  verberonem  blate- 
rantem  atque  inconcinne  causificantem  certusque  aliquod 
moliri  flagitium,  dedi  quidem  potionem,  dedi ;  sed  futurae 
quaestioni  praecavens  non  statim  pretium,  quod  offerebatur, 
5  accepi,  sed  '  Ne  forte  aliquis,'  inquam,  '  istorum,  quos 
offers,  aureorum  nequam  vel  adulter  repperiatur,  in  hoc 
ipso  sacculo  conditos  eos  anulo  tuo  praenota,  donee  altera 
die  nummulario  praesente  comprobentur.' 

"  Sic  inductus   signavit  pecuniam,  quam  exinde,  ut  iste 

10  repraesentatus  est  iudicio,  iussi  de  meis  aliquem  curriculo 

taberna    promptam    adferre    et    en    ecce   perlatam   coram 

exhibeo.      Videat    et    suum    sigillum    recognoscat.      Nam 

quem  ad  modum  eius  veueni  frater  insimulari  potest,  quod 

iste  comparaverit  ?  " 

15      Ingens  exinde  verberonem  corripit  trepidatio  et  in  vicem 

humani  coloris   succedit  pallor   infernus   perque   universa 

membra  frigidus  sudor  emanabat ;  tunc  pedes  incertis  alter- 

nationibus    commovere,    modo    banc,    modo    illam    capitis 

partem  scalpere  et  ore  semiclauso  balbuttiens  nescio  quas 

20afannas   effutire,  ut   eum   nemo   prorsus   a   culpa  vacuum 

merito  crederet ;    sed  revalescente  rursus  astutia  constan- 

tissime  negare  et  accersere  mendacii  non  desinit  medicum. 

Qui  praeter  iudicii  religionem  cum  tidem  suam  coram  lace- 

rari  videret,  multiplicato  studio  verberonem  ilium  contendit 

25  redarguere,  donee  iussu  magistratuum    ministeria   publica 

contrectatis    nequissimi    servi    manibus    anulum    ferreum 

deprehensum  cum  signo  sacculi  conferunt,  quae  comparatio 

praecedentem  roboravit  suspicionem.     Nee  rota  vel  eculeus 

more  Graecorum  tormentis  eius  apparata  iam  deerant,  sed 

sooffirmatus  mira  praesumptione  nullis  verberibus  ac  ne  ipso 

quidem  succumbit  igni. 

Turn    medicus :    "  Non   patiar,"    iuciuit,    "  hercules,    non 


THE   ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER  5o 

patiar  vel  contra  fas  de  innocente  isto  iuvene  supplicium 
vos  sumere  vel  hunc  ludilicato  nostro  iudicio  poenarn  noxii 
facinoris  evadere.  Dabo  enim  rei  praesentis  evidens  argu- 
mentum.  Nam  cum  venerium  peremptorium  comparare 
pessimus  iste  gestiret  nee  meae  sectae  crederem  convenire  5 
causas  ulli  praebere  mortis  nee  exitio,  sed  saluti  hominum 
medicinam  quaesitam  esse  didicissem,  verens  ne  si  daturum 
me  negassem,  intempestiva  repulsa  viam  sceleri  subminis- 
trarem  et  ab  alio  quopiam  exitiabilem  mercatus  hie  potionem 
vel  postremum  gladio  vel  quovis  telo  nefas  inclioatum  per-  lo 
iiceret,  dedi  venenum,  sed  somniferum,  mandragoram  ilium 
gravedinis  compertae  famosum  et  morti  simillimi  soporia 
efficacem.  Nee  mirum  desperatissimum  istum  latronem 
certum  extremae  poenae,  quae  more  maiorum  in  eum  com- 
petit,  cruciatus  istos  ut  leviores  facile  tolerare.  Sed  si  vere  15 
puer  meis  temperatam  manibus  sumpsit  potionem,  vivit  et 
quiescit  et  dormit  et  protinus  marcido  sopore  discusso 
remeabit  ad  diem  lucidam ;  quod  sive  peremptus  est  sive 
morte  praeventus  est,  quaeratis  licet  causas  mortis  eius 
alias."  20 

Ad  istum  modum  seniore  adorante  placuit,  et  itur  con- 
festim  magna  cum  festinatione  ad  illud  sepulchrum,  quo 
corpus  pueri  depositum  iacebat.  Nemo  de  curia,  de  opti- 
matibus  nemo  ac  ne  de  ipso  quidem  populo  quisquam,  qui 
non  illuc  curiose  confluxerit.  Ecce  pater,  suis  ipse  manibus  25 
coperculo  capuli  remoto,  commodum  discusso  mortifero 
sopore  surgentem  postliminio  mortis  deprehendit  filium 
eumque  complexus  artissime,  verbis  impar  praesenti  gaudio, 
producit  ad  populum.  Atque  ut  erat  adhuc  feralibus  ami- 
culis  instrictus  atque  obditus  deportatur  ad  indicium  puer.  30 

lamque  liquido  servi  nequissimi  atque  mulieris  nequioris 
patefactis  sceleribus  procedit  in  medium  nuda  Veritas  et 


56  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

uovercae  quidem  perpetuum  indicitur  exilium,  servus  vero 
patibulo  suffigitur  et  omnium  consensu  bono  medico  sinuntur 
aurei,  opportuni  somni  pretium.  Et  illius  quidem  senis 
famosa  atque  fabulosa  fortuna  providentiae  divinae  condig- 
num  accepit  exitum,  qui  momento  modico  immo  puncto 
exiguo  post  orbitatis  periculum  adulescentium  duorum 
pater  repente  factus  est. 


XI 

THE  JEALOUS   WIFE 

Maritum  liabuit,  cuius  pater  peregre  proficiscens  man- 
davit  uxori  suae,  matri  eiusdem  iuvenis  —  quod  enim 
sarcina  praegnationis  oneratam  earn  relinquebat  —  ut,  si 
sexus  sequioris  edidisset  fetum,  protinus  quod  esset  editum 
necaretur.  At  ilia,  per  absentiam  mariti  nata  puella,  insita  5 
matribus  pietate  praeventa  descivit  ab  obsequio  mariti 
eamque  prodidit  vicinis  alumnandam,  regressoque  iam 
marito  natam  necatamque  nuntiavit. 

Sed  ubi  flos  aetatis  nuptialem  virgini  diem  flagitabat  nee 
ignaro   marito   dotare    filiam    pro    natalibus   quibat,   quod  lo 
solum  potuit,  filio  suo  taciturn  secretum  aperuit.     Nam  et 
oppido   verebatur   ne   quo   casu,    caloris   iuvenalis   impetu 
lapsus,  nescius  nesciam  sororem   incurreret.     Sed  pietatis 
spectatae  iuvenis  et  matris  obsequium  et  sororis  officium 
religiose   dispensat   et  arcanis   domus    venerabilis    silentiii5 
custodiae  traditis,  plebeiam  facie  tenus  praetendens  liuma- 
nitatem,  sic  necessarium  sanguinis    sui  munus  adgreditur, 
ut  desolatam  vicinam  puellam  parentumque  praesidio  vidua- 
tam  domus  suae  tutela  receptaret  ac  mox  artissimo  multum- 
que   sibi   dilecto   contubernali,  largitus  de  proprio   dotem,  20 
liberalissime  traderet. 

Sed  haec  bene  atque  optima  plenaque  cum  sanctimonia 
disposita  feralem  Fortunae  nutum  latere  non  potuerunt, 
cuius  instinctu  domum  iuvenis  protinus   se   direxit   saeva 

57 


58  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Rivalitas.  Et  ilico  haee  eadem  uxor  eius,  quae  nunc  bestiis 
propter  haec  ipsa  fuerat  addicta,  coepit  puellam  velut 
aemulain  tori  succubamque  primo  suspicari,  dehiuc  detes- 
tari,  dehinc   crudelissimis   laqueis    mortis    insidiari.     Tale 

5  deuique  commiuiscitur  facinus. 

Anulo  mariti  surrepto  rus  profecta  mittit  quendam  servu- 
lum  sibi  quidem  fidelem,  sed  de  ipsa  Fide  pessime  meren- 
tem,  qui  puellae  nuntiaret,  quod  earn  iuvenis  profectus  ad 
villulam  vocaret  ad  sese,  addito  ut  sola  et  sine  ullo  comite 

10  quam  maturissime  perveniret.  Et  ne  qua  forte  nasceretur 
veniendi  cunctatio,  tradit  anulum  marito  subtractum,  qui 
monstratus  tidem  verbis  adstipularetur. 

At  ilia  mandatu  fratris  obsequens  —  hoc  enim  nomen 
sola  sciebat  —  respecto  etiam  signo  eius,  quod  offerebatur, 

15  naviter,  ut  praeceptum  fuerat,  incomitata  festinat.  Sed 
ubi  fraudis  extremae  lapsa  decipulo  laqueos  insidiarum  ac- 
cessit,  tunc  ilia  uxor  egregia  sororem  mariti  libidinosae 
furiae  stimulis  efferata  primum  quidem  nudam  flagris 
ultime  verberat,  dehinc  quod  res  erat  clamantem  quodque 

20  f rustra  paelicatus  indignatione  bulliret  f ratrisque  nomen 
saepius  iterantem  velut  mentitam  atque  cuncta  fingentera 
crudelissime  necavit. 

Tunc  acerbae  mortis  exciti  nuntiis  frater  et  maritus  ac- 
currunt  variisque  lamentationibus  defletam  puellam  tradunt 

25  sepulturae.  Nee  iuvenis  sororis  suae  mortem  tam  miseram 
et  quae  minime  par  erat  inlatam  aequo  tolerare  quivit 
animo,  sed  medullitus  dolore  commotus  acerrimaeque  bills 
noxio  furore  perfusus  exin  flagrantissimis  febribus  ardebat, 
ut  ipsi  quoque  iam  medela  videretur  esse  necessaria.     Sed 

;}()  uxor,  (luae  iam  pridem  nomen  uxoris  cum  fide  perdiderat, 
iiK'ilicuin  (;oiiv('iiit  (luendam  notae  perfidae,  qui  iam  multa- 
ruiii  pjiluuuuiu  spectatus  })roeliis  magna  dexterae  suae  tro- 


TIIK   JEALOUS    WIFE  50 

paea  numerabat,  eique  protinus  quinquaginta  promittit 
sestertia,  ut  ille  quidem  momentarium  venenum  venderet, 
ipsa  autein  emeret  mortem  mariti  sui.  Quo  confecto  simu- 
latur  necessaria  praecordiis  leniendis  bilique  subtrahendae 
ilia  praenobilis  potio,  quam  sacram  doctiores  nominant,  sed  5 
in  eius  vicem  subditur  alia  Proserpinae  sacra  Saluti. 

lamque  praesente  familia  et  nonnullis  amicis  et  adfinibus 
aegroto  medicus  poculum  probe  temperatum  manu  sua 
porrigebat.  Sed  audax  ilia  mulier,  ut  simul  et  conscium 
sceleris  amoliretur  et  quam  desponderat  pecuniam  lucrare- 10 
tur,  coram  detento  calice  ''  Non  prius,"  inquit,  "  medicorum 
optime,  non  prius  carissimo  mihi  marito  trades  istam  potio- 
nem  quam  de  ea  bonam  partem  hauseris  ipse.  Unde  enim 
scio  an  noxium  in  ea  lateat  venenum?  Quae  res  utique 
te  tarn  prudentem  tamque  doctum  virum  nequaquam  offen- 15 
det,  si  religiosa  uxor  circa  salutem  mariti  sollicita  necessa- 
riam  adfero  pietatem." 

Qua  mira  desperations  truculentae  feminae  repente  per- 
turbatus  medicus  excussusque  toto  consilio  et  ob  angustiam 
temporis  spatio  cogitandi  privatus,  antequam  trepidatione  20 
aliqua  vel  cunctatione  ipsa  daret  malae  conscientiae  suspi- 
cionem,  indidem  de  potione  gustavit  ampliter.  Quam 
fidem  secutus  adulescens  etiam,  sumpto  calice,  quod  offere- 
batur  hausit. 

Ad  istum  modum  praesenti  transacto  negotio  medicus  25 
quam  celerrime  domum  remeabat,  salutifera  potione  pestem 
praecedentis  veneni  festinans  extinguere.  Nee  eum  ob- 
stinatione  sacrilega,  qua  semel  coeperat,  truculenta  mulier 
ungue  latius  a  se  discedere  passa  est  —  "  Priusquam,"  inquit, 
"  digesta  potione  medicinae  proventus  appareat " — ,  sed  30 
aegre  precibus  et  obtestationibus  eius  multum  ac  diu  fati- 
gata  tandem  abire  concessit.     Interdum  perniciem  caecam 


60  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

totis  visceribus  furentem  medullae  penitus  adtraxerant, 
multum  denique  saucius  et  gravedine  somnulenta  iam  de- 
mersus  domum  pervadit  aegerrime.  Vixque,  euarratis 
cunctis,  ad  uxorem  mandato  saltern  promissam  mercedem 
5  mortis  geminatae  deposceret,  sic  elisus  violenter  spectatis- 
simus  medicus  effundit  spiritum. 

Nee  ille  tanien  iuvenis  diutius  vitam  tenuerat,  sed  inter 

fictas  mentitasque  lacrimas  uxoris  pari  casu  mortis  fiierat 

extinctus.     lamque   eo   sepulto,  paucis    interiectis   diebus, 

10  quis  feralia  mortuis  litantur  obsequia,  uxor  medici  pretium 

geminae   mortis   petens  aderat.     Sed   mulier  usquequaque 

sui  similis,  fidei  supprimens  faciem,  praetendens  imaginem, 

blandicule  respoudit  et  omnia  prolixe  adcumulateque  polli- 

cetur  et  statutum  praemium  sine  mora  se  reddituram  con- 

15  stituit,  modo  pauxillum  de  ea  potione  largiri  sibi  vellet  ob 

incepti  negotii  persecutionem.      Quid  pluribus  ?      Laqueis 

fraudium  pessimarum  uxor  inducta  medici  facile  consensit 

et,  quo  se  gratiorem  locupleti   feminae  faceret,  properiter 

domo  petitam  totam  prorsus  veneni  pyxidem  mulieri  tradi- 

20dit.     Quae  grandem  scelerum  nancta  materiam  longe  late- 

que  cruentas  suas  manus  porrigit. 

Habebat  filiam  parvulam  de  marito,  quern  nuper  necave- 
rat.     Huic  infantulae  quod  leges  necessariam  patris  succes- 
sionem    deferrent,    sustinebat    aegerrime    inliiansque   toto 
25liliae  patrimonio  inminebat  et  capiti. 

Ergo  certa  defunctorum  liberorum  matres  sceleratas 
hereditates  excipere,  talem  parentem  praebuit,  qualem  ex- 
hibuerat  uxorem,  prandioque  commento  pro  tempore  et 
uxorem  medici  simul  et  suani  liliam  veneno  eodem  percutit. 
30  Sed  parvulae  quidem  tenuem  spiritum  et  delicata  ac  tenera 
praecordia  conlicit  protinus  virus  infestum,  at  uxor  medici, 
dum  noxiis  ambagibus   pulmones   eius  pererrat  tempestas 


THE   JEALOUS   WIFE  Gl 

detestabilis  potionis,  primum  suspicata,  quod  res  erat,  mox 
urgente  spiritu  iam  certo  certior  contendit  ad  ipsam  prae- 
sidis  domum  magnoque  lidem  eius  protestata  clamore  et 
populi  concitato  tumultu,  utpote  tarn  immania  detectura 
flagitia,  efficit  statim  sibi  simul  et  domus  et  aures  praesidis  5 
patefierent. 

lamque   ab   ipso  exordio  crudelissimae  mulieris   cunctis 
atrocitatibus   diligenter    expositis,   repente    mentis   nubilo 
turbine  correpta  semihiantes  adhuc  compressit  labias  et,  at- 
tritu  dentium  longo   stridore  reddito,  ante  ipsos  praesidis  10 
pedes  exanimis  corruit. 

Nee  ille  vir,  alioquin  exercitus,  tarn  multiforme  facinus 
excetrae  venenatae  dilatione  languida  passus  marcescere, 
confestim  cubiculariis  mulieris  adtractis  vi  tormentorum 
veritatem  emit  atque  illam,  minus  quidem  quam  mereba-i5 
tur,  sed  quod  dignus  cruciatus  alius  excogitari  nou  poterat, 
certe  bestiis  obiciendam  pronuntiavit. 


XII 

TALE  OF  THE   TUB 

Is  gracili  pauperie  laborans  fabriles  operas  praebendo 
parvis  illis  mercedibus  vitam  tenebat,  Erat  ei  tamen 
uxorcula  etiam  satis  quidem  tenuis  et  ipsa,  verum  tamen 
postrema  lascivia  famigerabilis.  Sed  die  quadam,  dum 
5  niatutino  ille  ad  opus  susceptum  proficiscitur,  statim  la- 
tenter  inrepit  eius  hospitium  temerarius  adulter. 

Ac    dum   Veneris    conluctationibus    securius    operantur, 

maritus  ignarus  rerum  ac  nihil   etiam  turn  tale  suspicans 

inprovisus  hospitium  repetit.     lamque  clausis  et  obseratis 

10  foribus   uxoris   laudata   continentia   ianuam   pulsat,  sibilo 

etiam  praesentiam  suam  denuntiante. 

Tunc  mulier  callida  et  ad  huius  modi  flagitia  perastutula 
tenacissimis  amplexibus  expeditum  hominem  dolio,  quod 
erat  in  angulo  semiobrutum,  sed  alias  vacuum,  dissimulanter 
mabscondit,  et  patefactis  aedibus  adhuc  introemitem  maritum 
asjtero  sermone  acci])it :  "  Sicine  vacuus  et  otiosus  insinuatis 
nianibus  ambulabis  mihi  nee  obito  consueto  labore  vitae 
nostrae  prospicies  et  aliquid  cibatui  parabis  ?  At  ego 
misera  pernox  et  per  diem  laniii(do  nervos  meos  contorqueo, 
20  ut  intra  cellulam  iiostram  saltern  lucerna  luceat.  Quanto 
me  f'elicior  J)ap]nie  vicuna,  (juae  mero  et  prandio  matutino 
saucia  cum  suis  adulteris  volutatur  !  " 

Sic  coniutatus   iiuiritus  "  Kt  cpiid  istic  est?"  ait;  "nam 

02 


TALE   OF   THE   TUB  63 

licet  forensi  negotio  officinator  noster  attentus  ferias  nobis 
fecerit,  tamen  hodiernae  cenulae  uostrae  prospexi.  Vide 
sis,  ut  dolium,  quod  semper  vacuum,  frustra  locum  detinet 
tantum  et  re  vera  praeter  impedimentum  conversationis 
nostrae  niliil  praestat  amplius  ?  Istud  ego  quinque  denariis  5 
cuidam  venditavi,  et  adest,  ut  dato  pretio  secum  rem  suam 
ferat.  Quin  itaque  praecingeris  mihique  manum  tantisper 
accommodas,  ut  exobrutum  protinus  tradatur  emptori." 

E  re  nata  fallaciosa  mulier  temerarium  tollens  cachinnum, 
"  Magnum,"  inquit,  **  istum  virum  acstrenuum  negotiatorem  lo 
nacta  sum,  qui  rem,  quam  ego  mulier  et  intra  hospitium 
contenta    iam    dudum   septem    denariis    vendidi,    minoris 
distraxit." 

Additamento  pretii  laetus  maritus  "  Et  quis  est  ille,"  ait, 
"  qui  tanto  praestinavit  ?  "  15 

At    ilia   "  Olim,   inepte,"   inquit,    "  descendit  in  dolium 
sedulo  soliditatem  eius  probaturus." 

Nee  ille  sermoni  mulieris  defuit,  sed  exsurgens  alacriter 
"  Vis,"  inquit,  "  verum  scire,  mater  familias  ?  Hoc  tibi 
dolium  nimis  vetustum  est  et  multifariam  rimis  hiantibus  20 
quassum "  ad  maritumque  eius  dissimulanter  conversus 
"  Quin  tu,  quicumque  es,  homuncio,  lucernam,"  ait,  "  actutum 
mihi  expedis,  ut  erasis  intrinsecus  sordibus  diligenter, 
aptumne  usui,  possim  dinoscere,  nisi  nos  putas  aes  de  malo 
habere  ?  "  25 

Nee  quicquam  moratus  ac  suspicatus  acer  et  egregius  ille 
maritus  accensa  lucerna  "  Discede,"  inquit,  "  f  rater,  et  otiosus 
a.dsiste,  donee  probe  percuratum  istud  tibi  repraesentem ; " 
et  cum  dicto  nudatus  ipse  delato  lumine  scabiem  vetustam 
cariosae  testae  occipit  exculpere.  At  vero  adulter  bellis-30 
simus  ille  pusio  inelinatam  dolio  pronam  uxorem  fabri 
superincurvatus  secure  dedolabat. 


64  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Ast  ilia  capite  in  dolium  demisso  maritum  suum  astu 
meretricio  tractabat  ludicre  ;  hoc  et  illud  et  aliud  et  rursus 
aliud  purgandum  demonstrat  digito  suo,  donee  utroque  opere 
perfecto  acceptis  septem  denariis  calamitosus  faber  collo 
suo  gerens  dolium  coactus  est  ad  hospitium  adulteri  per- 
ferre. 


XIII 

OUPID  AND  PSYCHE 

Erant  in  quadam  civitate  rex  et  regina.  Hi  tres  numero 
filias  forma  conspicuas  habuere,  sed  maiores  quidem  natu, 
quamvis  gratissima  specie,  idonee  tanien  celebrari  posse 
laudibus  humanis  credebantur,  at  vero  puellae  iunioris  tam 
praecipua,  tam  praeclara  pulchritudo  nee  exprimi  ac  ne  5 
siifficienter  quidem  laudari  sermonis  humani  penuria  pote- 
rat,  Multi  denique  civium  et  advenae  copiosi,  quos  eximii 
spectaculi  rumor  studiosa  celebritate  congregabat,  inaccessae 
formonsitatis  admiratione  stupidi  et  admoventes  oribus  suis 
dexteram  primore  digito  in  erectum  pollicem  residente  earn  lO 
ut  ipsam  prorsus  deam  Venerem  religiosis  venerabantur  ado- 
rationibus. 

lamque  proximas  civitates  et  attiguas  regiones  fama  per- 
vaserat  deam,  quam  caerulum  profundum  pelagi  peperit  et 
ros  spumantiuni  iluctuum  educavit,  iam  numinis  sui  passim  15 
tributa  venia  in  mediis  conversari  populi  coetibus,  vel  certe 
rursum  novo  caelestium  stillarum  germine  non  maria,  sed 
terras  Venerem  aliam  virginali  flore  praeditam  pullulasse. 
Sic  immensum  procedit  in  dies  opinio,  sic  insulas  iam  proxu- 
mas  et  terrae  plusculum  provinciasque  plurimas  fama  por-  20 
recta  pervagatur. 

Iam  multi  mortaliuni  longis  itineribus  atque  altissimis 
maris  meatibus  ad  saeculi  specimen  gloriosum  confluebant. 
Paphon  nemo,  Cnidon  nemo  ac  ne  ipsa  quidem  Cythera  ad 

65 


66  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

conspectum  deae  Veneris  navigabant ;  sacra  differuntur, 
templa  deformantur,  pulvinaria  praetereuntur,  caerimoniae 
negleguntur ;  incoronata  simulacra  et  arae  viduae  f rigido 
cinere  foedatae.     Puellae  supplicatur  et  in  humanis  vulti- 

5  bus  deae  tantae  numina  placantur,  et  in  matutino  progressu 
virginis  victimis  et  epulis  Veneris  absentis  nomen  propitia- 
tur,  iamque  per  plateas  commeantem  populi  frequenter  flori- 
bus  sertis  et  solutis  adprecantur. 

Haec  honorum  caelestium  ad  puellae  mortalis  cultum  in- 

10  modica  translatio  verae  Veneris  vehementer  incendit  animos 
et  inpatiens  indignationis  capite  quassanti  fremens  altius 
sic  secum  disserit :  ''  En  rerum  naturae  prisca  parens,  en 
elementorum  origo  initialis,  en  orbis  totius  alma  Venus, 
quae  cum  mortali  puella  partiario  maiestatis  honore  tractor 

15  et  nomen  meum  caelo  conditum  terrenis  sordibus  profana- 
tur !  Nimirum  communi  numinis  piamento  vicariae  vene- 
rationis  incertum  sustinebo  et  imaginem  meam  circumferet 
puella  moritura.  Frustra  me  pastor  ille,  cuius  iustitiam 
fidemque  magnus   comprobavit  luppiter,  ob  eximiam  spe- 

20  ciem  tantis  praetulit  deabus.  Sed  non  adeo  gaudens  ista, 
quaecumque  est,  meos  honores  usurpabit :  iam  faxo  eam 
huius  etiam  ipsius  inlicitae  formonsitatis  paeniteat." 

Et  vocat  confestim  puerum  suum  pinnatum  ilium  et  satis 
temerarium,  qui   malis   suis  moribus   contempta  disciplina 

25  pul)li('a,   Hamniis    et   sagittis   arinatus,    per   alienas    domos 

nocte  discurrens    et   onniiuni    niatrimonia  corrumpens  im- 

pune  committit  tanta  flagitia  et  nihil  prorsus  boni  facit. 

Hunc,  quanc^uam  genuina  licentia  procacem,  verbis  quoque 

iusuper  stimulat  et  perducit  ad  illam  civitatem  et  Psychen 

:«}  —  hoc  enim  nomine  puella  uuucupabatur  —  coram  ostendit 
et  tota  ilia  perlata  de  formonsitatis  aemulatione  fabula 
gemens   ac   fremens    indignatione :    "  Per   ego    te,"   inquit, 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  (37 

"  maternae  caritatis  foedera  deprecor,  per  tuae  sagittae  dul- 
cia  vulnera,  per  flammae  istius  mellitas  uredines,  viudictam 
tuae  parent!  sed  plenaiu  tribue  et  in  pulchritudinem  contu- 
macem  severiter  vindica  idque  unum  et  pro  omnibus  unicum 
volens  eftice :  virgo  ista  amore  fraglantissimo  teneatur  ho-  5 
minis  extremi,  quem  et  dignitatis  et  patrimonii  simul  et 
incolumitatis  ipsius  Fortuna  damnavit,  tamque  infirmi,  ut 
per  totum  orbem  non  inveniat  miseriae  suae  comparem." 

Sic  effata  et  osculis  hiantibus  tilium  diu  ac  pressule  savi- 
ata  proximas  oras  reflui  litoris  petit  plantisque  roseis  vibran- 10 
tium  fluctuum  summo  rore  calcato  ecce  iam  profundum  maris 
sudo  resedit  vertice,  et  ipsum  quod  incipit  velle,  quasi  pri- 
dem  praeceperit,  non  moratur  marinum  obsequium.  Adsunt 
Kerei  filiae  chorum  canentes  et  Portunus  caerulis  barbis 
hispidus  et  gravis  piscoso  sinu  Salacia  et  auriga  parvulus  15 
delfini  Palaemon ;  iam  passim  maria  persultantes  Tritonum 
catervae  hie  concha  sonaci  leniter  bucinat,  ille  serico  teg- 
mine  flagrantiae  solis  obsistit  inimici,  alius  sub  oculis  domi- 
nae  speculum  progerit,  curru  biiuges  alii  subnatant.  Talis 
ad  Oceanum  pergentem  Venerem  comitatur  exercitus.  20 

Interea  Psyche  cum  sua  sibi  perspicua  pulchritudine 
nullum  decoris  sui  fructum  percipit.  Spectatur  ab  omni- 
bus, laudatur  ab  omnibus  nee  quisquam,  non  rex,  non 
regius,  nee  de  plebe  saltem  cupiens  eius  nuptiarum  petitor 
accedit.  Mirantur  quidem  divinam  speciem,  sed  ut  simu-23 
lacrum  fabre  politum  mirantur  omnes, 

Olim  duae  maiores  sorores,  quarum  temperatam  formon- 
sitatem  nulli  diifamarant  populi,  procis  regibus  desponsae 
iam  beatas  nuptias  adeptae,  sed  Psyche  virgo  vidua  domi 
residens  deflet  desertam  suam  solitudinem  aegra  corporis,  30 
animi  saucia  et  quamvis  gentibus  totis  complacitam  odit  in 
SB  suam  formonsitatem. 


68  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Sic  infortunatissimae  filiae  miserrimus  pater  suspectatis 
caelestibus  odiis  et  irae  superum  metuens  dei  Milesii  vetus- 
tissimum  percontatur  oraculum  et  a  tanto  numine  precibus 
et  victimis  ingratae  virgin!  petit  nuptias  et  maritum.  Sed 
5  Apollo,  quanquaui  Graecus  et  lonicus,  propter  Milesiae  con- 
ditorem  sic  Latina  sorte  respondit 

''  Montis  in  excelsi  scopulo,  rex,  siste  puellam 

ornatam  mundo  fimerei  thalami, 
nee  speres  generum  mortali  stirpe  creatum, 
10  sed  saevum  atque  ferum  vipereumque  malum, 

quod  pinnis  volitans  super  aethera  cuncta  fatigat 

flammaque  et  ferro  singula  debilitat, 
quod  tremit  ipse  lovis,  quo  numina  terrilieantur 

fluminaque  borrescunt  et  Stygiae  tenebrae." 

15  Rex  olim  beatus  affatu  sanctae  vaticinationis  accepto  pi- 
gens  tristisque  retro  domum  pergit  suaeque  coniugi  prae- 
cepta  sortis  enodat  infaustae.  Maeretur,  fletur,  lamentatur 
diebus  plusculis.  Sed  dirae  sortis  iam  urget  taeter  effectus. 
lam   feralium    nuptiarum    miserrimae    virgin!    choragium 

20  struitur,  iam  taedae  lumen  atrae  f uliginis  cinere  marcescit, 
et  sonus  tibiae  zygiae  mutatur  in  querulum  Ludii  modum 
cantusque  laetus  bymenaei  lugubri  iinitur  ululatu  et  puella 
nuptura  deterget  lacrinias  ipso  suo  flammeo.  Sic  adfectae 
domus  triste  latum  cuncta  etiam  ci vitas  congemebat  luctu- 

25  que  publico  confestim  congruens  edicitur  iustitium. 

Sed  monitis  caelestibus  parendi  necessitas  misellam 
Psycben  ad  destinatam  poenam  ettlagitabat.  Perfectis  igi- 
tur  feralis  thalami  cum  summo  maerore  sollemnibus  toto 
lu-osequciitc  ])()pulo  vivum   producitur  funus  ct  lacrimosa 

;«)  Psyche  comitatur  iion  nuptias,  sed  cxequias  suas.  Ac  dum 
maesti  parentes  et  tanto  malo  perciti  nefarium  facinus  per- 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  69 

ficere  cunctantur,  ipsa  ilia  tilia  talibus  eos  adhortatur  voci- 
bus.  "  Quid  infelicem  senectam  fletu  diutino  cruciatis  ? 
Quid  spiritum  vestrum,  qui  magis  meus  est,  crebris  eiulati- 
bus  fatigatis  ?  Quid  lacrimis  inefficacibus  ora  mihi  vene- 
randa  foedatis  ?  Quid  laceratis  in  vestris  oculis  mea  5 
lumina  ?  Quid  canitiem  sciuditis  ?  Quid  pectora,  quid 
ubera  sancta  tunditis  ?  Haec  erunt  vobis  egregiae  for- 
monsitatis  meae  praeclara  praemia.  Invidiae  nefariae  letali 
plaga  percussi  sero  sentitis.  Cum  gentes  et  populi  cele- 
brarent  nos  divinis  honoribus,  cum  novam  me  Venerem  ore  lo 
consono  nuncuparent,  tunc  dolere,  tunc  fiere,  tunc  me  iani 
quasi  peremptam  lugere  debuistis.  lam  sentio,  iam  video 
solo  me  nomine  Veneris  perisse.  Ducite  me  et  cui  sors  ad- 
dixit  scopulo  sistite.  Festino  felices  istas  nuptias  obire, 
festino  generosuni  ilium  maritum  meum  videre.  Quid  dif- 15 
fero,  quid  detrecto  venientem,  qui  totius  orbis  exitio  natus 
est  ?  " 

Sic  profata  virgo  conticuit  ingressuque  iam  valido  pompae 
populi  prosequentis  sese  miscuit.  Itur  ad  constitutum 
scopulum  montis  ardui,  cuius  in  summo  cacumine  statutam  20 
puellam  cuncti  deserunt,  taedasque  nuptiales  quibus  prae- 
luxerant  ibidem  lacrimis  suis  extinctas  relinquentes  deiectis 
capitibus  domuitionem  parant.  Et  miseri  quidem  parentes 
eius  tanta  clade  defessi,  clausae  domus  abstrusi  tenebris, 
perpetuae  nocti  sese  dedidere.  Psychen  autem  paventem  25 
ac  trepidam  et  in  ipso  scopuli  vertice  deflentem  mitis  aura 
molliter  spirantis  Zephyri,  vibratis  hinc  inde  laciniis  et  re- 
flato  sinu  sensim  levatam  suo  tranquillo  spiritu  vehens 
paulatim  per  devexa  rupis  excelsae,  vallis  subditae  florentis 
cespitis  gremio  leniter  delapsam  reclinat,  30 

Psyche  teneris  et  herbosis  locis  in  ipso  toro  roscidi  gra- 
minis  suave  recubans,  tanta  mentis  perturbatione  sedata,  dulce 


70  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

conquievit.  lamque  sufficienti  recreata  somno  placido  re- 
surgit  animo.  Videt  lucum  proceris  et  vastis  arboribus 
consitum,  videt  fontem  vitreo  latice  perlucidum ;  medio 
luci   meditullio   prope   fontis   adlapsum   domus  regia   est, 

5  aedificata  non  humanis  manibus,  sed  diviuis  artibus.  lam 
scies  ab  introitu  primo  dei  cuiuspiam  luculentum  et  amoe- 
num  videre  te  diversorium.  Nam  summa  laquearia  citro  et 
ebore  curiose  cavata  subeunt  aureae  columnae,  parietes 
omnes  argenteo  caelamiue  conteguntur  bestiis  et  id  gemis 

10  pecudibus  occurrentibus  ob  os  introeuntium.  Mirus  pror- 
sum  homo,  immo  semideus  vel  certe  deus,  qui  magnae  artis 
suptilitate  tantum  efferavit  argentum.  Enimvero  pavi- 
menta  ipsa  lapide  pretioso  caesim  deminuto  in  varia  pic- 
turae  genera  discrimmantur  ;  vehementer,  iterum  ac  saepius 

15  beatos  illos  qui  super  gemmas  et  monilia  calcant. 

lam  ceterae  partes  longe  lateque  dispositae  domus  sine 
pretio  pretiosae  totique  parietes  solidati  massis  aureis 
splendore  proprio  coruscant,  ut  diem  suum  sibi  domus 
faciat  licet  sole  nolente  :  sic  cubicula,  sic  portions,  sic  ipsae 

20  valuae  fulgurant.  Nee  setins  opes  ceterae  maiestati  domus 
respondent,  ut  equidem  illud  recte  videatur  ad  conversatio- 
nem  humanam  magno  lovi  fabricatum  caeleste  palatium. 

Invitata  Psyche  talium  locorum  oblectatione  propius 
accessit  et  paulo  fidentior  intra  limen  sese  tacit,  mox  pro- 

25  lectante  studio  pulcherrimae  visionis  rimatur  singula  et 
altrinsecus  aedium  horrea  sublimi  fabrica  perfecta  mag- 
nisque  congesta  gazis  conspicit.  Nee  est  quicquam,  quod 
ibi  non  est.  Sed  praeter  ceteram  tantarum  divitiarum  ad- 
mirationem  hoc  erat  praecipue  mirificum,  quod  nullo  vin- 

.'50  culo,  iiullo  claustro,  nullo  oustode  totius  orbis  thensaurus 
ille  muniebatur. 

Haec   ei   summa   cum  voluptate  visenti  offert  sese  vox 


CUPID    AND   PSYCHE  "  71 

quaedam  corporis  sui  nuda  et  "  Quid,"  iiiquit,  "  domina, 
tantis  obstupescis  opilms  '.'  Tua  sunt  liaec  omnia.  Prohinc 
cubiculo  te  refer  et  let^tulo  lassitudinem  refove  et  ex  arbitrio 
lavacrum  pete.  Kos,  quarum  voces  accipis,  tuae  famulae 
sedulo  tibi  praeministrabimus  nee  corporis  curatae  tibi  regales  5 
epulae  morabuntur." 

Sensit   Psyche   divinae    providentiae    beatitudinem   mo- 
nitusque,  voces  informes  audieus,  et  prius  sonino  et   mox 
lavacro   fatigationem   sui   diluit,    visoque    statim    proximo 
semirotundo    suggestu,    propter   instrumentum    cenatorium  10 
rata  refectui  suo  commodum,  libeus  accumbit. 

Et  ilico  vini  nectarei  eduliumque  variorum  fercula  copiosa 
nullo  serviente,  sed  tantum  spiritu  quodam  impulsa  submini- 
strantur,  iSTec  quemquam  tamen  ilia  videre  poterat,  sed 
verba  tantum  audiebat  excidentia  et  solas  voces  famulas  15 
habebat.  Post  opimas  dapes  quidam  introcessit  et  can- 
tavit  invisus  et  alius  citharam  pulsavit,  quae  videbatur 
nee  ipsa.  Tunc  modulatae  multitudinis  conferta  vox  aures 
eius  affertur,  ut,  quamvis  hominum  nemo  pareret,  chorus 
tamen  esse  pateret.  20 

Finitis  voluptatibus  vespera  suadente  concedit  Psyche 
cubitum.  lamque  provecta  nocte  clemens  quidam  sonus 
aures  eius  accedit.  Tunc  virginitati  suae  pro  tanta  solitudine 
metuens  et  pavet  et  horrescit  et  quovis  malo  plus  timet  quod 
ignorat.  lamque  aderat  ignobilis  maritus  et  torum  inscende-25 
rat  et  uxorem  sibi  Psychen  fecerat  et  ante  lucis  exortum 
propere  discesserat. 

Statim  voces  cubiculo  praestolatae  novam  nuptam  inter- 
fectae  virginitatis  curant.     Haec  diutino  tempore  sic  age- 
bantur.     Atque  ut  est  natura  redditum,  novitas  per  assiduam  30 
consuetudinem  delectationem  ei  commendarat  et  sonus  vocis 
incertae  solitudinis  erat  solacium. 


72  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Interea  parentes  eius  indefesso  luctu  atque  maerore  con- 
senescebant,  latiusijue  porrecta  fama  sorores  illae  maiores 
cuncta  cognorant  propereque  uiaestae  attpie  lugubres  deserto 
lare  certatim  ad  parentum  suorum  conspectum  adfatunique 

5  perrexerant.  Ea  nocte  ad  suam  Psyclien  sic  iiifit  maritus  — 
namque  praeter  oculos  et  manibus  et  auribus  sentiebatur 
"  Psyche  dulcissima  et  cara  uxor,  exitiabile  tibi  periculum 
minatur  f ortuna  saevior,  quod  observandum  pressiore  cautela 
censeo.     Sorores  iam  tuae  mortis  opinione  turbatae  tuumque 

10  vestigium   requireutes    scopulum    istum    protinus   aderunt, 

quarum  si  quas  forte  lamentationes  aeceperis,  neque  respon- 

deas,  immo  nee  prospicias  omnino ;  ceterum  mihi  quidem 

gravissimum  dolorem,  tibi  vero  summum  creabis  exitium." 

Aimuit  et  ex  arbitrio  mariti  se  facturam  spopondit,  sed 

15  eo  simul  cum  nocte  dilapso  diem  totum  lacrimis  ac  plangori- 
bus  misella  consumit,  se  nunc  maxime  prorsus  perisse  iterans, 
quae  beati  carceris  custodia  septa  et  humanae  conversationis 
colloquio  viduata  nee  sororibus  quidem  suis  de  se  maerenti- 
bus  opem  salutarem  ferre  ac  ne  videre  eas  quidem  omnino 

20  posset.  iSTec  lavacro  nee  eibo  nee  ulla  denique  refectione 
recreata,  flens  ubertim  decessit  ad  somnum.  Nee  mora, 
cum  paulo  maturius  leetum  maritus  aecubans  eamque  etiam 
nunc  lacrimantem  complexus  sic  expostulat  "  Haecine  mihi 
pollicebare,  Psyche  mea?     Quid   iam  de  te  tuus   maritus 

25expecto,  quid  spero?     Et  perdia  et  jDcrnox  nee  inter  am- 

plexus    coniugales  desinis   cruciatum.     Age   iam   nunc,  ut 

voles,  et  animo  tuo  damnosa  poscenti  pareto!     Tantum  memi- 

neris  meae  seriae  monitionis,  cum  coeperis  sero  paenitere." 

Tunc   ilia   precibus    et   dum    se   morituram   comminatur 

SOextonjuet  a  marito,  cupitis  adnuat  ut  sorores  videat,  luctus 
mul(;eat,  ora  (HMiferat.  Sic  ille  novae  nuptae  precibus  ve- 
niam  tribuit  et  insuper,  quibuscumque  vellet  eas  auri  vel 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  T3 

monilium  donare,  concessit,  seel  identidem  monuit  ac  saepe 
terruit,  ne  quando  sororum  peruicioso  consilio  suasa  de 
forma  mariti  quaerat  ueve  se  sacrilega  curiositate  de  tanto 
fortunarum  suggestu  pessuin  deiciat  nee  suum  postea  con- 
tingat  amplexuni.  5 

Gratias  egit  marito  iauique  laetior  animo  "  Sed  prius," 
inquit,  "  centies  moriar  quam  tuo  isto  dulcissimo  conubio 
caream.  Amo  enim  et  efflictim  te,  quicumque  es,  diligo 
aeque  ut  meurn  spiritum,  nee  ipsi  Cupidini  comparo.  Sed 
istud  etiam  meis  precibus,  oro,  largire  et  illi  tuo  famulo  lO 
Zepliyro  praecipe,  simili  vectura  sorores  hie  mihi  sistat "  ;  et 
imprimens  oscula  suasoria  et  iugerens  verba  mulcentia  et 
inserens  membra  cogentia  haec  etiam  blanditiis  astruit  "  Mi 
mellite,  mi  marite,  tuae  Psychae  dulcis  anima."  Vi  ac 
potestate  Venerii  susurrus  invitus  succubuit  maritus  et  15 
cuncta  se  facturum  spopondit  atque,  etiam  luce  proxumaute, 
de  manibus  uxoris  evanuit. 

At  illae  sorores  percontatae  scopulum  locumque  ilium, 
quo  fuerat  Psyche  deserta,  festinauter  adveuiunt  ibique 
dililebant  oculos  et  plangebant  ubera,  quoad  crebris  earum  20 
heiulatibus  saxa  cautesque  parilem  sonum  resultarent. 
lamque  nomine  proprio  sororem  miseram  ciebant,  quoad 
sono  penetrabili  vocis  ululabilis  per  prona  delapso  amens 
et  trepida  Psyche  procurrit  e  domo  et  "  Quid,"  inquit,  "  vos 
miseris  lamentationibus  necquicquam  effligitis?  Quam  25 
lugetis,  adsum.  Lugubres  voces  desinite  et  diutiuis  lacri- 
mis  madentes  genas  siccate  tandem,  quippe  cum  iam  possitis 
quam  plangebatis  amplecti." 

Tunc  vocatum   Zephyrum   praecepti  maritalis  admonet. 
Nee  mora,  cum  ille  parens  imperio  statim  clementissimis  30 
flatibus  innoxia  vectura  deportat   illas.     Iam  mutuis   am- 
plexibus  et  festinantibus  saviis  sese   jjerfruuntur   et   illae 


74  LUCIUS    APULEIUS 

sedatae  lacrimae  postliminio  redeunt  prolectante  gaudio. 
"  Sed  et  tectum,"  inquit,  "  et  larem  nostrum  laetae  succedite 
et  afflictas  animas  cum  Psyche  vestra  recreate." 

Sic  allocuta  summas  opes  domus  aureae  vocumque  ser- 

5  vieutium  populosam  familiam  demonstrat  auribus  earum 
lavacroque  pulcherrimo  et  inhumanae  mensae  lautitiis  eas 
opipare  relicit,  ut  illarum  prorsus  caelestium  divitiarum 
copiis  affluentibus  satiatae  iam  praecordiis  penitus  nutrirent 
invidiam.     Denique  altera  earum  satis  scrupulose  curioseque 

10  percontari  non  desinit,  quis  illarum  caelestium  rerum  domi- 
nus,  quisve  vel  qualis  ipsius  sit  maritus. 

Nee  tamen  Psyche  coniugale  illud  praeceptum  ullo  pacto 
temerat  vel  pectoris  arcanis  exigit,  sed  e  re  nata  confingit 
esse   iuvenem   quendam   et   speciosum,  commodum  lanoso 

15  barbitio  genas  inumbrantem,  plerumque  rurestribus  ac  mon- 
tanis  venatibus  occupatum,  et  ne  qua  sermonis  procedentis 
labe  consilium  taciturn  proderetur,  auro  facto  gemmosisque 
monilibus  onustas  eas  statim  vocato  Zephyro  tradit  repor- 
tandas. 

20  Quo  protenus  perpetrate  sorores  egregiae  domum  re- 
deuntes  iamque  gliscentis  invidiae  felle  fraglantes  multa 
secum  sermonibus  mutuis  perstrepebant.  Sic  denique  infit 
altera  "  En  orba  et  saeva  et  iniqua  Fortuna !  Hocine  tibi 
complacuit,  ut  utroque  parente  prognatae  diversam  sortem 

'2r>  sustineremus  ?  Et  nos  quidem,  quae  natu  maiores  sumus, 
maritis  advenis  ancillae  deditae,  extorres  et  lare  et  ipsa 
patria  degamus  longe  parentum  velut  exulantes,  haec  autem 
novissinia,  ({uam  fetu  satiante  postremus  partus  effudit, 
tantis  opibus  et  deo  marito  i)()tita  sit,  quae  nee  uti  recte 

;jo  tanta  bonorum  copia  novit  ?  Vidisti,  soror,  quanta  in  domo 
iacent  et  qualia  monilia,  quae  praenitent  vestes,  quae  splen- 
dicant  gemmae,  quantum  praeterea  passim  calcatur  aurum. 


CUriD   AND    PSYCHE  75 

*'  Quodsi  maritum  etiam  tarn  formonsum  tenet,  ut  affirmat, 
nulla  nunc  in  orbe  toto  felicior  vivit.  Fortassis  tamen  pro- 
cedente  consuetudine  et  adfectione  roborata  deam  quoque 
illam  deus  maritus  efficiet.  Sic  est  hercules,  sic  se  gerebat 
ferebatque.  lam  iam  sursum  respicit  et  deam  spirat  mu-  5 
lier,  quae  voces  ancillas  habet  et  ventis  ipsis  imperat.  At 
ego  misera  primum  patre  meo  senioreni  maritum  sortita 
sum,  dein  cucurbita  calviorem  et  quovis  puero  pusilliorem, 
cunctam  domum  seris  et  catenis  obditam  custodientem," 

Suscipit  alia  "  Ego  vero  maritum  articulari  etiam  morbo  10 
complicatum  curvatumque  ac  per  hoc  rarissimo  venerem 
meam  recollentem  sustineo,  plerumque  detortos  et  duratos 
in  lapidem  digitos  eius  perfricans,  fomentis  olidis  et  pannis 
sordidis  et  faetidis  cataplasmatibus  manus  tam  delicatas 
istas  adurens  nee  uxoris  officiosam  faciem,  sed  medicae  15 
laboriosam  personam  sustinens.  i^ 

"  Et  tu  quidem  soror  videris,  quam  patienti  vel  potius 
servili  —  dicam  enim  libere  quod  sentio  —  haec  perferas 
animo ;  enimvero  ego  nequeo  sustinere  ulterius  tam  beatam 
fortunam  allapsam  indignae.  Recordare  enim,  quam  su-20 
perbe,  quam  adroganter  nobiscum  egerit  et  ipsa  iactatione 
immodicae  ostentationis  tumentem  suum  prodiderit  ani- 
mum  deque  tantis  divitiis  exigua  nobis  invita  proiecerit 
confestimque  praesentia  nostra  gravata  propelli  et  efflari 
exsibilarique  nos  iusserit.  Nee  sum  mulier  nee  omnino  25 
spiro,  nisi  eam  pessum  de  tantis  opibus  deicero. 

"  Ac  si  tibi  etiam,  ut  par  est,  inacuit  nostra  contumelia, 
consilium  validum  requiramus  ambae.  lamque  ista,  quae 
ferimus,  non  parentibus  nostris  ac  nee  ulli  monstremus  alii, 
immo  nee  omnino  quicquam  de  eius  salute  norimus.  Sat  30 
est  quod  ipsae  vidimus  quae  vidisse  paenituit,  nedum  ut 
genitoribus  et  omnibus  populis  tam  beatum  eius  differamus 


76  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

praeconium.  Nee  sunt  eniin  beati,  quorum  divitias  nemo 
novit.  Sciet  se  non  ancillas,  sed  sorores  habere  maiores. 
Et  nunc  quidem  concedamus  ad  maritos  et  lares  pauperes 
nostros,  sed  plane  sobrios  revisamus  diuque  cogitationibus 

5  pressioribus  instructae,  ad  superbiam  poeniendam  firmiores 
redeamus." 

Placet  pro  bono  duabus  malis  malum  consilium  totisque 
illis  tarn  pretiosis  muneribus  absconditis  comam  trahentes 
et  proinde  ut  merebantur  ora  lacerantes  simulatos  redinte- 

10  grant  fletus.  Ac  sic  parentes  quoque  redulcerato  prorsum 
dolore  raptim  deterrentes,  vesania  turgidae,  domus  suas 
contendunt  dolum  scelestum,  immo  vero  parricidium  stru- 
entes  contra  sororem  insontem. 

Interea  Psychen  maritus  ille,  quem  nescit,  rursum  suis 

15  illis  nocturnis  sermonibus  sic  commonet  "  Videsne,  quan- 
tum tibi  periculum?  Velitatur  Fortuna  eminus,  ac  nisi 
longe  lirmiter  praecaves,  mox  comminus  congredietur, 
Perlidae  lupulae  magnis  conatibus  nefarias  insidias  tibi 
comparant,  quarum  summa  est,  ut  te  suadeant  meos  explo- 

20  rare  vultus,  quos,  ut  tibi  saepe  praedixi,  non  videbis  si 
videris. 

"  Ergo  igitur  si  posthac  pessimae  illae  lamiae  noxiis  animis 
armatae  venerint  —  venient  autem,  scio — ,  neque  omnino 
sermonem  conferas  et  si  id  tolerare  pro  genuina  simplicitate 

25  proque  animi  tui  teneritudine  non  j)otueris,  certe  de  marito 
nil  quicquam  vel  audias  vel  respondeas.  Nam  et  familiam 
nostram  iam  propagabimus  et  hie  adhuc  infantilis  uterus 
gestat  nobis  infantem  alium,  si  texeris  nostra  secreta  silen- 
tio,  divinum  ;  si  profanaveris,  mortalem." 

:«)  Nuntio  Psyche  laeta  florebat  et  divinae  subolis  solacio 
plaudel)at  et  futuri  pignoris  gloria  gestiebat  et  materni 
nominis  dignitate  gaudebat. 


CUPID   AND  PSYCHE  77 

Sed  iam  pestes  illae  taeterrimaeque  Furiae  anhelantes 
vipereuin  virus  et  festinantes  impia  celeritate  navigabant. 
Tunc  sic  iterum  momentarius  maritus  suam  Psycheu  ad- 
monet  "  Dies  ultima  et  casus  extremus  et  sexus  inf estus  et 
sanguis  inimicus  iam  sumpsit  arma  et  castra  commovit  et  5 
aciem  direxit  et  classicum  personavit ;  iam  mucrone  de- 
stricto  iugulum  tuum  nefariae  tuae  sorores  petunt.  Heu 
quantis  urguemur  cladibus,  Psyche  dulcissima.  Tui  nos- 
trique  miserere  religiosaque  continentia  domum  maritum 
teque  et  istum  parvulum  nostrum  imminentis  ruinae  infor- 10 
tunio  libera.  Nee  illas  scelestas  f  eminas,  quas  tibi  post  inter- 
necivum  odium  et  calcata  sanguinis  foedera  sorores  appellare 
non  licet,  vel  videas  vel  audias,  cum  in  morem  Sirenum 
scopulo  prominentes  funestis  vocibus  saxa  personabunt." 

Suscipit  Psyche  singultu  lacrimoso  sermonem  incertans  15 
"  Iam  dudum,  quod  sciam,  fidei  atque  parciloquio  meo  per- 
pendisti  documenta,  nee   eo  setius  adprobabitur  tibi  nunc 
etiam  firmitas  animi  mei.     Tu  modo  Zephyro  nostro  rur- 
sum  praecipe  fungatur  obsequio,  et  in  vicem  denegatae  sa- 
crosanctae  imaginis  tuae  redde  saltern  conspectum  sororum.  20 
Per  istos  cinnameos  et  undique  pendulos  crines  tuos,  per 
teneras  et  teretis  et  mei  similes  genas,  per  pectus  nescio 
quo  calore  fervidum,  sic  in  hoc  saltem  parvulo  cognoscam 
faciem  tuam ;  supplicis  anxiae  piis  preeibus  erogatus  ger- 
mani  complexus  indulge  f ructum  et  tibi  devotae  Psychae  25 
animam  gaudio  recrea.     Nee  quiquam  amplius  in  tuo  vultu 
requiro,  iam   nil  officiunt  mihi   nee   ipsae  nocturnae  tene- 
brae ;  teneo  te,  meum  lumen." 

His  verbis  et  amplexibus    mollibus  decantatus   maritus 
lacrimasque  eius  suis  crinibus  detergens  se  facturum  spo-30 
pondit  et  praevertit  statim  lumen  nascentis  diei. 

lugum    sororium    consponsae    factiouis    ne    pareutibus 


78  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

quidem  visis  recta  de  navibus  scopuluin  petunt  ilium  prae- 
cipiti  cum  velocitate  nee  veuti  fereutis  oppertae  praesen- 
tiam  licentiosa  cum  temeritate  prosiliunt  in  altum.  Nee 
immemor    Zephyrus   regalis    edicti,    quamvis   invitus,    sus- 

5  ceptas  eas  gremio  spirantis  aurae  solo  reddidit. 

At    illae    incunctatae    statim   conferto   vestigio   domum  ■ 
penetrant   complexaeque    praedam    suam    sorores    nomine 
mentientes  thensaurumque  penitus   abditae   fraudis  vultu 
laeto  tegentes  sic  adulant :    "  Psyche,   non   ita   ut   pridem 

10  parvula,  et  ipsa  iam  mater  es.  Quantum,  pjutas,  boni  nobis 
in  ista  geris  perula  !  Quantis  gaudiis  totam  domum  nostram 
hilarabis  I  0  nos  beatas,  quos  iufantis  aurei  nutrimenta 
laetabuut !  Qui  si  parentum,  ut  oportet,  pulchritudini 
responderit,  prorsus  Cupido  nascetur." 

15  Sic  adfectione  simulata  paulatim  sororis  invadunt  ani- 
mum,  Statimque  eas  lassitudine  viae  sedilibus  refotas  et 
balnearum  vaporosis  fontibus  curatas  pulcherrime  triclinio 
mirisque  illis  et  beatis  edulibus  atque  tuccetis  oblectat. 
lubet  citliaram  loqui,  psallitur  ;  tibiasagere,  sonatur;  chores 

20canere,  cantatur.  Quae  cuncta  nullo  praesente  dulcissimis 
modulis  animos  audientium  remulcebant. 

Nee  tamen  scelestarum  feminarum  nequitia  vel  ilia 
mellita  cantus  dulcedine  mollita  conquievit,  sed  ad  desti- 
natam   fraudium  pedicam  sermonem  conferentes  dissimu- 

25lanter  occipiunt  sciscitari,  qualis  ei  maritus  et  undo 
natalium,  secta  cuia  proveniret.  Tunc  ilia  simplicitate 
nimia  pristini  sermonis  oblita  novum  commentum  instruit 
aitque  maritum  suum  de  provincia  proxima  magnis  pecu- 
niis  negotiantem  iam  medium  cursum  aetatis  agere,  inter- 

aospersum  rara  canitie.  Nee  in  sermone  isto  tantillum 
morata  rursum  opiparis  muneribus  eas  onustas  ventoso 
vehiculo  reddidit. 


CUriD   AND   PSYCHE  79 

Sed  dum  Zephyri  tranquillo  spiritu  sublimatae  domum 
redeunt,  sic  secum  altercantes :  "  Quid,  soror,  dicimus  de 
tarn  monstruoso  fatuae  illius  mendacio  ?  Tunc  adolescens 
modo  florenti  lanugiue  barbam  instruens,  nunc  aetate 
media  candenti  canitie  lucidus.  Quis  ille,  quern  temporis  5 
modici  spatium  repentina  senecta  reformavit  ?  Nil  aliud 
repperies,  mi  soror,  quam  vel  mendacia  istam  pessimam 
feminam  confingere  vel  formam  mariti  sui  nescire ;  quorum 
utrum  verum  est,  opibus  istis  quam  primum  exterminanda 
est.  Quodsi  viri  sui  faciem  ignorat,  deo  profecto  denupsit  lo 
et  deum  nobis  praegnatione  ista  gerit.  Certe  si  divini 
puelli  —  quod  absit  —  haec  mater  audierit,  statim  me 
laqueo  nexili  suspendam.  Ergo  interim  ad  parentes  nostros 
redeamus  et  exordio  sermouis  liuius  quam  concolores  fal- 
lacias  adtexamus."  15 

Sic  inflammatae,  parentibus  fastidienter  appellatis  et 
nocte  turbata  vigiliis,  perditae  matutino  scopulum  per- 
volant  et  inde  solito  venti  praesidio  vehementer  devolant 
lacrimisque  pressura  palpebrarum  coactis  hoc  astu  puel- 
1am  appellant :  "  Tu  quidem  f elix  et  ipsa  tanti  mali  igno-  20 
rantia  beata  sedes  incuriosa  periculi  tui,  nos  autem,  quae 
pervigili  cura  rebus  tuis  excubamus,  cladibus  tuis  misere 
cruciamur. 

"  Pro  vero  namque  comperimus  nee  te,  sociae  scilicet  doloris 
casusque  tui,  celare  possumus  immanem  colubrum  multi-25 
nodis  volumiDibus  serpentem,  veneno  noxio  colla  sanguinan- 
tem  hiantemque  ingluvie  profunda  tecum  noctibus  latenter 
adquiescere.  Nunc  recordare  sortis  Pythicae,  quae  te 
trucis  bestiae  nuptiis  destinatam  esse  clamavit.  Et  multi 
coloni  quique  circumsecus  veuantur  et  accolae  plurinii  vide-  30 
runt  eum  vespera  redeuntem  e  pastu  proximique  lluminis 
vadis  innatantem. 


80  LUCIUS    APULEIUS 

"  Nec  diu  blandis  alimoniarum  obsequiis  te  saginaturum 
omnes  adfirniant,  sed,  cum  primum  praegnationem  tuam 
plenus  maturaverit  uterus,  opimiore  fructu  praeditam 
devoraturum.     Ad   haec   iam    tua   est    existimatio,   utrum 

5  sororibus  pro  tua  cara  salute  sollicitis  adsentiri  velis  et 
declinata  morte  nobiscum  secura  periculi  vivere  an  saevis- 
simae  bestiae  sepeliri  visceribus.  Quodsi  te  ruris  huius 
vocalis  solitudo  vel  clandestinae  veneris  faetidi  periculosique 
concubitus  et  venenati  serpentis  amplexus  delectant,  certe 

10  piae  sorores  nostrum  f ecerimus." 

Tunc  Psyche  misella,  utpote  simplex  et  animi  tenella, 
rapitur  verborum  tarn  tristium  formidine ;  extra  terminum 
mentis  suae  posita  prorsus  omnium  mariti  monitionum 
suarumque  promissionum  memoriam  effudit  et  in  profun- 

I5dum  calamitatis  sese  praecipitavit  tremensque  et  exangui 
colore  lurida  tertiata  verba  semihianti  voce  substrepens  sic 
ad  illas  ait  "  Vos  quidem,  carissimae  sorores,  ut  par  erat,  in 
officio  vestrae  pietatis  permanetis,  verum  et  illi  qui  talia 
vobis   adfirmant,   non   videntur   mihi    mendacium    fingere. 

20  Nee  enim  umquam  viri  mei  vidi  faciem  vel  omnino  cuiatis 
sit  novi,  sed  tantum  nocturnis  subaudiens  vocibus  maritum 
incerti  status  et  prorsus  lucifugam  tolero  bestiamque 
aliquam  recte  dicentibus  vobis  merito  consentio.  Meque 
magnopere    semper    a    suis    terret    aspectibus    malumque 

25grande  de  vultus  curiositate  praeminatur.  Nunc  si  quam 
salutarem  opem  periclitanti  sorori  vestrae  potestis  adferre, 
iam  nunc  subsistite ;  ceterum  incuria  sequens  prioris  pro- 
videntiae  beneficia  conrumpet." 

Tunc    nanctae  iam    portis    patentibus    nudatum    sororis 

."JOaiiiiiiuin  fiKuui'i-osae  mulicres,  omissis  tectae  macliinae  lati- 
bulis,  d(;stri(;tis  gladiis  fraudium  simplicis  puellae  paventes 
cogitationes  invadunt. 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  81 

Sic  denique  altera :  "  Quoniain  nos  originis  nexus  pro  tua 
incolumitate  ne  periculum  quidem  ullum  ante  oculos  habere 
eompellit,  viam,  quae  sola  deducit  iter  ad  salutem,  diu  diuque 
cogitatam  monstrabimus  tibi.  Novaculam  praeacutam,  ad- 
pulsu  etiam  palmulae  lenientis  exasperatam,  tori  qua  parte  5 
cubare  consuesti,  latenter  absconde  lucernamque  concinnem, 
completam  oleo,  claro  lumine  praemicantem  subde  aliquo 
claudentis  aululae  tegmine  omnique  isto  apparatu  tenacissime 
dissimulato,  postquam  sulcatos  intrabens  gressus  cubile 
solitum  conscenderit  iamque  porrectus  et  exordio  somni  pre-  lo 
mentis  implicitus  altum  soporeni  flare  coeperit,  toro  delapsa 
nudoque  vestigio  pensilem  gradum  paullulatim  minuens,  cae- 
cae  tenebrae  custodia  liberata  lucerna,  praeclari  tui  facinoris 
opportunitatem  de  luminis  consilio  mutuare  et  ancipiti  telo 
illo  audaciter,  prius  dextera  sursum  elata,  nisu  quam  valido  15 
noxii  serpentis  nodum  cervicis  et  capitis  abscinde.  Nee 
nostrum  tibi  deerit  subsidium  ;  sed  cum  primum  illius  morte 
salutem  tibi  feceris,  anxiae  praestolabimur  cunctisque  istis 
manibus  sociis  tecum  relatis  votivis  nuptiis  hominem  te 
iungemus  homini."  20 

Tali  verborum  incendio  flammata  viscera  sororis  iam  pror- 
sus  ardentis  deserentes  ipsae  protinus,  tanti  mali  confinium 
sibi  etiam  eximie  metuentes,  flatus  alitis  impulsu  solito  por- 
rectae  super  scopulum  ilico  pernici  se  fuga  proripiunt  statim- 
que  conscensis  navibus  abeunt.  25 

At  Psyche  relicta  sola,  nisi  quod  inf estis  Furiis  agitata  sola 
non  est,  aestu  pelagi  simile  maerendo  fluctuat  et,  quamvis 
statuto  consilio  et  obstinato  auimo,  iam  tamen  facinori 
manus  admovens  adhuc  incerta  consilii  titubat  multisque 
calamitatis  suae  distrahitur  affectibus.  Festinat  differt,  30 
audet  trepidat,  dittidit  iraseitur  et,  quod  est  ultimum,  in 
eodem  corpore  odit  bestiam,  diligit  maritum.    Vespera  tamen 


82  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

iam  noctem  trahente  praecipiti  festinatione  nefarii  sceleris 
instruit  apparatum. 

Nox  aderat  et  maritus  advenerat.  Tunc  Psyche,  et 
corporis  et  animi  alioquin  iniirina,  fati  tamen  saevitia  sub- 

5  uiiiiistrante,  viribus  roboratur  et  prolata  lucerna  et  adrepta 
novacula  sexum  audacia  mutatur.  Sed  cum  primum  luminis 
oblatione  tori  secreta  claruerunt,  videt  omnium  ferarum 
mitissimam  dulcissimamque  bestiam,  ipsum  ilium  Cupidinem 
formonsum  deum  formonse  cubantem,  cuius  aspectulucernae 

10  quoque  lumen  hilaratum  increbruit  et  acuminis  sacrilegi 
novacula  praenitebat. 

At  vero  Psyche  tanto  aspectu  deterrita  et  impos  animi, 
marcido  pallore  defecta  tremeusque  desedit  in  imos  poplites 
et  ferrum  quaerit  abscondere,  sed  in  suo  pectore  ;  quod  pro- 

15  fecto  fecisset,  nisi  ferrum  timore  tanti  fiagitii  manibus 
temerariis  delapsum  evolasset. 

lamque  lassa,  salute  defecta,  dum  saepius  divini  vultus 
intuetur  pulcliritudiuem,  recreatur  animi.  Videt  capitis 
aurei   genialem   caesariem   ambrosia  temulentam,  cervices 

20  lacteas  genasque  purpureas  pererrantes  crinium  globos  deco- 
riter  impeditos,  alios  antependulos,  alios  retropendulos, 
quorum  splendore  nimio  fulgurante  iam  et  ipsum  lumen 
lucernae  vacillabat ;  per  umeros  volatilis  dei  pinnae  roscidae 
micanti  flore  candicant  et  quamvis  alls  quiescentibus  exti- 

25  mae  plumulae  tenellae  ac  delicatae  tremule  resultantes 
iufjuieta  lasciviunt;  ceterura  corpus  glabelluni  atque  lucu- 
lentum  et  quale  peperisse  Venerem  non  paeniteret. 

Ante  lectuli  pedes  iaeebat  arcus  et  faretra  et  sagittae, 
magni  dei  propitia  tela.     Qmm'  (hiin  insatiabili  auimo  Psyche, 

30  satis  et  curiosa,  riiuatur  atcpie  pertrectat  et  mariti  sui 
miratur  arma,  depromit  unam  de  pharetra  sagittam  et  puncto 
pollicis  extremam  aciem  periclitabunda  trementis  etiam  nunc 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  83 

articuli  nisu  fortiore  pupugit  altius,  ut  per  summam  cutem 
roraverint  parvulae  sanguinis  rosei  guttae.  Sic  ignara 
Psyche  sponte  in  Amoris  incidit  amoreni.  Tunc  magis 
magisque  cupidine  fraglans  Cupidinis,  prona  in  eum  efflictim 
inhians,  patulis  ac  petulantibus  saviis  festinanter  iugestis  5 
de  somni  mensura  metuebat.  Sed  dum  bono  tanto  percita 
saucia  mente  fluctuat,  lucerna  ilia  sive  perfidia  pessima 
sive  invidia  noxia  sive  quod  tale  corpus  contingere  et  quasi 
basiare  et  ipsa  gestiebat,  evomuit  de  summa  luminis  sui 
stillam  ferventis  olei  super  umerum  dei  dexterum.  Hem  !  lo 
audax  et  temeraria  lucerna  et  amoris  vile  ministerium, 
ipsum  ignis  totius  deum  aduris,  cum  te  scilicet  amator 
aliquis,  ut  diutius  cupitis  etiam  nocte  potiretur,  primus 
invenerit. 

Sic  inustus  exiluit  deus  visaque  detectae  fidei  colluvie  15 
prorsus  ex  osculis  et  manibus  infelicissimae  coniugis  tacitus 
avolavit.  At  Psyche  statim  resurgentis  eius  crure  dextero 
manibus  ambabus  adrepto  sublimis  evectionis  adpendix 
miseranda  et  per  nubilas  plagas  penduli  comitatus  extrema 
consequia  tandem  fessa  delabitur  solo.  20 

Kec  deus  amator  humi  iacentem  deserens  involavit  proxi- 
mam  cupressum  deque  eius  alto  cacumine  sic  eam  graviter 
commotus  adfatur  "  Ego  quidem,  simplicissima  Psyche, 
parentis  meae  Veneris  praeceptorum  immemor,  quae  te 
miseri  extremique  hominis  devinctam  cupidine  infimo  ma- 25 
trimonio  addici  iusserat,  ipse  potius  amator  advolavi  tibi. 
Sed  hoc  feci  leviter,  scio,  et  praeclarus  ille  Sagittarius  ipse 
me  telo  meo  percussi  teque  coniugem  meam  feci,  ut  bestia 
scilicet  tibi  viderer  et  ferro  caput  excideres  meum,  quod 
istos  amatores  tuos  oculos  gerit.  30 

"  Haec   tibi   identidem   semper  cavenda  censebam,  haec 
benivole  remonebam,    Sed  illae  quidem  consiliatrices  egre- 


84  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

giae  tuae  tarn  perniciosi  magisterii  dabuut  actutum  mihi 
poenas,  te  vero  tautum  fuga  mea  punivero."  Et  cum  ter- 
mino  sermonis  piiinis  iu  altum  se  proripuit. 

Psyche  vero  humi  prostrata   et,  quantum   visi  poterat, 

5  volatus  mariti  prospiciens  extremis  affligebat  lamentatio- 
nibus  animum.  Sed  ubi  remigio  plumae  raptum  maritum 
proceritas  spatii  fecerat  alieuum,  per  proximi  flumiuis 
marginem  praecipitem  sese  dedit.  Sed  mitis  fluvius  in 
honorem  dei  scilicet,  qui  et  ipsas  aquas   urere  consuevit, 

10  metuens  sibi,  confestim  eam  innoxio  volumine  super  ripam 
fiorentem  herbis  exposuit.  Tunc  forte  Pan  deus  rusticus 
iuxta  supercilium  amnis  sedebat  complexus  Echo  montanam 
deam  eamque  voculas  omnimodas  edocens  reccinere,  proxime 
ripam  vago  pastu  lasciviunt  comani  fluvii  tondentes  capellae. 

l5Hircuosus  deus  sauciam  Psychen  atque  defectam,  utcum- 
que  casus  eius  non  inscius,  clementer  ad  se  vocatam  sic 
permulcet  verbis  lenientibus  *'  Puella  scitula,  sum  quidem 
rusticanus  et  upilio,  sed  senectutis  prolixae  benelicio  multis 
experimentis  instructus. 

20  "  Verum  si  recte  coniecto,  quod  profecto  prudentes  viri  di- 
vinationem  autumant,  ab  isto  titubante  et  saepius  vaccillante 
vestigio  deque  nimio  pallore  corporis  et  assiduo  suspiritu, 
immo  et  ipsis  maerentibus  oculis  tuis,  amore  nimio  laboras. 
Ergo  mihi  ausculta  nee  te  rursus  praecipitio  vel  ullo  mortis 

25accersitae  genere  perimas.  Luctum  desine  et  pone  maero- 
rera  precibusque  potius  Cupidinem  deorum  maximum  percole 
et  utpote  adolescentem  delicatum  luxuriosumque  blandis 
obsequiis  promere." 

Sic   locuto   deo   pastore   nulloque   sermone   reddito,   sed 

30ad(jrat(j  tantum  numine  salutari  Psyche  pergit  ire.  Sed 
cum  alitpiaiu  inultum  viae  hiboranti  vestigio  pererrasset, 
inscio  quodam   tramite  lain   die   hibente  accedit   quaudam 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  85 

civitatem,  in  qua  regnum  maritus  unius  sororis  eius  optine- 
bat. 

Qua  re  cognita  Psyche  nuntiari  praesentiam  suam  sorori 
desiderat ;  inox  inducta  mutuis  amplexibus  alternae  saluta- 
tionis  expletis  percontauti  causas  adventus  sui  sic  incipit :  5 
"  Meministi  consilium  vestrum,  scilicet  quo  mihi  suasistis 
ut  bestiam,  quae  mariti  mentito  nomine  mecum  quiescebat, 
prius  quam  ingluvie  voraci  me  misellam  hauriret,  ancipiti 
novacula  peremerem.  Set  cum  primum,  ut  aeque  placuerat, 
conscio  lumine  vultus  eius  aspexi,  video  mirum  divinumque  10 
prorsus  spectaculum,  ipsum  ilium  deae  Veneris  filium, 
ipsum  inquam  Cupidinem,  leni  quiete  sopitum.  Ac  dum 
tanti  boni  spectaculo  percita  et  nimia  voluptatis  copia  tur- 
bata  fruendi  laborarem  inopia,  casu  scilicet  pessumo  lucerna 
fervens  oleum  rebullivit  in  eius  umerum.  15 

"  Quo  dolore  statim  somno  recussus,  ubi  me  ferro  et  igni 
conspexit  armatam,  '  Tu  quidem,'  inquit,  '  ob  istud  tam 
dirum  facinus  confestim  tore  meo  divorte  tibique  res  tuas 
habeto,  ego  vero  sororem  tuam  '  —  et  nomen  quo  tu  censeris 
aiebat  — '  iam  mihi  confarreatis  nuptiis  coniugabo '  et  20 
statim  Zephyro  praecipit,  ultra  terminos  me  domus  eius 
efflaret." 

Necdum  sermonem  Psyche  finierat ;  ilia  vesanae  libidinis 
et  invidiae  noxiae  stimulis  agitata,  vafre  concinnato  men- 
dacio  fallens  maritum,  quasi  de  morte  parentum  aliquid  25 
conperisset,  statim  navem  ascendit  et  ad  ilium  scopulum 
protinus  pergit  et  quamvis  alio  flante  vento,  caeca  spe 
tamen  inhians,  "  Accipe  me,"  dicens,  "  Cupido,  dignam  te 
coniugem  et  tu,  Zephyre,  suscipe  dominam  "  saltu  se  max- 
imo  praecipitem  dedit.  30 

Nee  tamen  ad  ilium  locum  vel  saltern  mortua  pervenire 
potuit.      Nam    per  saxa   cautium   membris    iactatis   atque 


86         '  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

dissipatis  et  proinde,  ut  merebatur,  laceratis  visceribus  suis 
alitibus  bestiisque  obvium  ferens  pabulum  interiit. 

ISTec  vindictae  sequentis  poena  tardavit.  Nam  Psyche 
rursus  errabundo  gradu  pervenit  ad  civitatem  aliam,  in  qua 
5  pari  modo  soror  morabatur  alia.  Nee  setius  et  ipsa  fallacie 
germanitatis  inducta  et  in  sororis  sceleratas  nuptias  aemula 
festinavit  ad  scopulum  inque  simile  mortis  exitium 
cecidit. 

Interim,  dum  Psyche  quaesitioni  Cupidinis  intenta  po- 
lo pulos    circumibat,    ille    vulnere    lucernae    dolens    in    ipso 
thalamo  matris  iacens  ingemebat.     Tunc  avis  peralba  ilia 
gavia,   quae  super  fluctus  marines  pinnis  natat,  demergit 
sese  propere  ad  Oceani  profundum  gremium. 

Ibi  commodum  Venerem  lavantem  natantemque  propter 
15  assistens  indicat :  adustum  filium  eius,  gravi  vulneris  dolore 
maerentem,  dubium  salutis  iacere  iamque  per  cunctoruni 
ora  populorum  rumoribus  conviciisque  variis  omnem 
Veneris  familiam  male  audire,  quod  ille  quidem  montano 
scortatu,  tu  vero  marino  natatu  secesseritis  ac  per  hoc  non 
20  voluptas  ulla,  non  gratia,  non  lepos,  sed  incorapta  et  agrestia 
et  horrida  cuncta  sint,  non  nuptiae  coniugales,  non  ami- 
citiae  sociales,  non  liberum  caritates,  sed  enormis  eluvies 
et  squalentium  foederuni  insuave  fastidium. 

Haec  ilia  verbosa  et  satis  curiosa  avis  in  auribus  Veneris 
25lili  lacerans  existimationem  ganniebat.  At  Venus  irata 
solidum  exclamat  repente  "Ergo  iam  ille  bonus  filius  mens 
habet  amicam  aliquam?  Prome  agedum,  quae  sola  mihi 
servis  amanter,  nomen  eius,  quae  puerum  ingenuum  et 
investem  sollicitavit,  sive  ilia  de  Nympharum  populo  seu 
30  de  Horarum  numero  seu  de  Musarum  ohoro  vel  de  mearum 
Gratiarum  ministerio." 

Nee   loquax    ilia   conticuit    avis,    sed    "  Nescio,"   inquit, 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  87 

"  domina ;  puto  puellam  —  si  probe  meiuini,  Psyches  nomine  ^ 

dicitur  —  eum  efflicte  cujiere."  /T-^ 

Tunc  indignata  Venus  exclamavit  vel  niaxime  :  "  Psychen 
ille  meae  formae  succubani,  mei  nominis  aemulani  si  vere 
diligit,  nimirum  illud  incrementum  lenam  me  putavit,  cuius  5 
monstratu  puellam  illam  cognosceret." 

Haec  quiritans  properiter  emergit  e  mari  suumque  pro- 
tinus  aureum  thalamum  petit  et  reperto,  sicut  audierat, 
aegroto  puero  iam  inde  a  foribus  quam  maxime  boans 
"  Honesta,"  inquit,  "  haec  et  natalibus  nostris  bonaeque  tuae  lO 
frugi  congruentia,  ut  primum  quidem  tuae  parentis,  immo 
dominae  praecepta  calcares  nee  sordidis  amoribus  inimicam 
meam  cruciares,  verum  etiam  hoc  aetatis  puer  tuis  licentio- 
sis  et  immaturis  iungeres  amplexibus,  ut  ego  nurum  scilicet 
tolerarem  inimicam  ?  15 

"  Sed  utique  praesumis  nugo  et  corruptor  et  inamabilis  te 
solum  generosum  nee  me  iam  per  aetatem  posse  concipere. 
Velim  ergo  scias  multo  te  meliorem  filium  alium  me  genitu- 
ram,  immo  ut  contumeliam  niagis  sentias,  aliquem  de  meis 
adoptaturam  vernulis  eique  donaturam  istas  pinnas  et  flam-  20 
mas  et  arcum  et  ipsas  sagittas  et  omnem  meam  supellecti- 
lem,  quam  tibi  non  ad  hos  usus  dederam  ;  nee  enim  de  pa- 
tris  tui  bonis  ad  instructionem  istam  quicquam  concessum 
est.  Sed  male  prima  pueritia  inductus  es  et  acutas  manus 
habes  et  maiores  tuos  irreverenter  pulsasti  totiens  et  ipsam  25 
matrem  tuam,  me  inquam  ipsam,  parricida  denudas  cotidie 
et  percussisti  saepius  et  quasi  viduam  utique  contemnis  nee 
vitricum  tuum  fortissimum  ilium  maximumque  bellatorem 
metuis.  Quidni  ?  Cui  saepius  in  angorem  mei  paelieatus 
puellas  propinare  consuesti.  Sed  iam  faxo  te  lusus  huius  30 
paeniteat  et  sentias  acidas  et  amaras  istas  nuptias. 

"  Sed  nunc  inrisui  habita  quid  agam  ?     Quo  me  conferam  ? 


88  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Quibus  modis  stelionem  istum  cohibeam  ?  Petanme  auxi- 
lium  ab  inimica  mea  Sobrietate,  quam  propter  huius  ipsius 
luxuriam  offendi  saepius  ?  At  rusticae  squalentisque  femi- 
nae   conloquium   prorsus  horresco.      Nee  tamen   vindictae 

5  solacium  undeunde  spernendum  est. 

"  Ilia  mihi  prorsus  adhibenda  est  nee  ulla  alia,  quae  casti- 
get  asperrime  nugonem  istum,  faretram  explicet  et  sagittas 
dearmet,  arcuui  enodet,  taedam  deflammet,  inimo  et  ipsum 
corpus   eius   acrioribus    remediis    coerceat.     Tuuc   iuiuriae 

10  meae  litatum  crediderim,  cum  eius  comas,  quas  istis  mani- 
bus  meis  subinde  aureo  nitore  perstrinxi,  deraserit,  pinnas, 
quas  meo  gremio  nectarei  fontis  infeci,  praetotonderit." 

Sic  effata  foras  sese  proripit  infesta  et  stomachata  biles 
Venerias.      Sed   iam   protiuus   Ceres   et   luno   continantur 

15  visamque  vultu  tumido  quaesiere,  cur  truci  supercilio  tan- 
tam  venustatem  micantium  oculorum  coerceret.  At  ilia 
"  Oportune,"  inquit,  "  ardenti  prorsus  isto  meo  pectori 
volentiam  scilicet  perpetraturae  venitis.  Sed  totis,  oro, 
vestris   viribus   Psyclien   illam   fugitivam    volaticam   mihi 

20  requirite.  Nee  enim  vos  utique  domus  meae  famosa  fabula 
et  non  dicendi  filii  mei  facta  latuerunt." 

Tunc  illae  non  ignarae,  quae  gesta  sunt,  palpare  Veneris 
iram  saevientem  sic  adortae :  "  Quid  tale,  domina,  deliquit 
tuus  filius,  ut  animo  pervicaci  voluptates  illius  impugnes  et, 

25  quam  ille  diligit,  tu  quidem  perdere  gestias  ?  Quod  autem, 
oramus,  isti  crimen,  si  puellae  lepidae  libenter  adrisit?  An 
iguoras  eum  mas(ailum  et  iuvenem  esse  vel  certe  iam  quot 
sit  anuorum,  ol)]ita  es  ?  An,  quod  aetatem  portat  bellule, 
puer   tibi  semper  videtur?     Mater  autem  tu  et  praeterea 

30  cordata  mulier  lilii  tui  lusus  semper  explorabis  curiose  et  in 
eo  luxuriem  culpabis  et  amores  revinces  et  tuas  artes  tuas- 
quL'  (iflicias  ill  lonuonscj  iilio  ri^prcliciulL'S '/     Quis  autem  te, 


CUPID   AND  PSYCHE  89 

deum,  quis  hominum  patietur  passim  cupidines  populis  dis- 
semiuantem,  cum  tuae  domus  amores  amare  coerceas  et 
vitiorum  muliebrium  publicam  praecludas  officinam  ?  " 

Sic   illae  metu  sagittarum  patrocinio  gratioso  Cupidiui, 
quamvis  absenti,  blandiebantur.     Sed  Venus  indignata  ri-  5 
dicule  tractari  suas  iniurias  praeversis  illis  alterorsus  con- 
cito  gradu  pelago  viam  capessit. 

Interea  Psyche  variis  iactabatur  discursibus,  dies  noctes- 
que  mariti  vestigationibus  intenta  et  quanto  magis  inquieta 
auimo,  tanto  cupidior  iratum  licet,  si  non  uxoriis  blaudi-10 
tiis  lenire,  certe  servilibus  precibus  propitiare. 

Et  prospecto  templo  quodam  in  ardui  mentis  vertice 
"  Unde  autem,"  inquit,  "  scio,  an  istic  meus  degat  domi- 
nus  ? "  Et  ilico  dirigit  citatum  gradum,  quem  defectum 
prorsus  adsiduis  laboribus  spes  incitabat  et  votum,  lamque  15 
naviter  emensis  celsioribus  iugis  pulvinaribus  sese  proxi- 
mani  intulit.  /^vr5 

Videt  spicas  frumentarias  in  acervo  et  alias  flexiles  in 
corona  et  spicas  hordei.  Erant  et  falces  et  operae  messoriae 
mundus  omnis,  sed  cuncta  passim  iacentia  et  incuria  con- 20 
fusa  et,  ut  solet  aestu,  laborantium  manibus  proiecta.  Haec 
singula  Psyche  curiose  dividit  et  discretim  remota  rite 
componit,  rata  scilicet  nullius  dei  fana  et  caerimonias 
neclegere  se  debere,  sed  omnium  benivolam  misericordiam 
corrogare.  25 

Haec  eam  sollicite  seduloque  curantem  Ceres  alma 
deprehendit  et  longum  exclamat  protinus :  "  Ain,  Psyche 
miseranda?  Totum  per  orbem  Venus  anxia  disquisitions 
tuum  vestigium  furens  animi  requirit  teque  ad  extremum 
supplicium  expetit  et  totis  numinis  sui  viribus  ultiouemSO 
flagitat ;  tu  vero  rerum  mearum  tutelam  nunc  geris  et 
aliud  quicquam  cogitas  nisi  de  tua  salute  ?  " 


90  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

Tunc  Psyche  pedes  eius  advoluta  et  uberi  fletu  ri- 
gans  deae  vestigia  humumque  verrens  crinibus  suis  mul- 
tiiugis  precibus  editis  veuiam  postulabat :  "  Per  ego  te 
frugiferam   tuam  dexteram   istam   deprecor,  per   laetificas 

5  messium  caerimonias,  per  tacita  secreta  cistarum  et  per 
famulorum  tuorum  draconum  pinnata  curricula  et  glebae 
Siculae  sulcamina  et  currum  rapacem  et  terram  tenacem 
et  inluminarum  Proserpinae  nuptiarum  demeacula  et 
luminosarum  filiae  inventionum  remeacula  et  cetera,  quae 

lOsilentio  tegit  Eleusinis  Atticae  sacrarium,  miserandae 
Psyches  animae,  supplicis  tuae,  subsiste.  Inter  istam  spi- 
carum  congeriem  patere  vel  pauculos  dies  delitescam, 
quoad  deae  tantae  saeviens  ira  spatio  temporis  mitigetur 
vel  certe  meae  vires  diutino  labore  fessae  quietis   inter- 

15  vallo  leniantur." 

Suscipit  Ceres :  "  Tuis  quidem  lacrlmosis  precibus  et 
commoveor  et  opitulari  cupio,  sed  cognatae  meae,  cum 
qua  etiam  foedus  antiquum  amicitiae  colo,  bonae  prae- 
terea    feminae,   malam    gratiam    subire   nequeo.      Decede 

20itaque  istis  aedibus  protinus  et  quod  a  me  retenta  custo- 
ditaque  non  fueris,  optimi  consule." 

Contra  spem  suam  repulsa  Psyche  et  afflicta  duplici 
maestitia  iter  retrorsum  porrigens  inter  subsitae  convallis 
sublucidum  lucum  prospicit  fanum  sollerti  fabrica  structum 

25  nee  ullam  vel  dubiam  spei  melioris  viam  volens  omittere, 
sed  adire  cuiuscumque  dei  veniam,  sacratis  foribus  proxi- 
mat.  Videt  dona  pretiosa  et  laciiiias  auro  litteratas 
ramis  arborum  postibusque  suffixas,  quae  cum  gratia  facti 
nomen  deae,  cui  fuerant  dicata,  testabantur. 

30  Tunc  geim  nixa  et  manibus  aram  tepentem  amplexa 
detersis  ante  lacrimis  sic  adprecatur :  "  Magni  lovis  germana 
et  coniuga,  sive  tu  Sami,  quae  sola  partu  vagitu(iue  et  ali- 


CUPID  AND  PSYCHE  91 

monia  tua  gloriatur,  tenes  vetusta  delubra,  sive  celsae 
Carthaginis,  quae  te  virginem  vectura  leonis  caelo  com- 
meantem  percolit,  beatas  sedes  frequentas,  seu  prope  ripas 
Inachij  qui  te  iam  nuptam  Tonantis  et  reginam  dearum  me- 
morat,  inclitis  Argivorum  praesides  moenibus,  quam  cunc-  5 
tus  oriens  Zygiam  veneratur  et  omnis  occidens  Lucinam 
appellat,  sis  meis  extremis  casibus  luno  Sospita  meque  in 
tantis  exanclatis  laboribus  defessam  imminentis  periculi 
metu  libera.  Quod  sciam,  soles  praegnatibus  periclitantibus 
ultro  subvenire."  10 

Ad  istum  modum  supplicanti  statim  sese  luno  cum 
totius  sui  numinis  augusta  dignitate  praesentat  et  protinus 
"  Quam  vellem,"  inquit,  "  per  fidem  nutum  meum  precibus 
tuis  accommodare.  Sed  contra  voluntatem  Veneris,  nurus 
meae,  quam  filiae  semper  dilexi  loco,  praestare  me  pudori5 
non  sinit.  Tunc  etiam  legibus,  quae  servos  alienos  perfugas 
invitis  dominis  vetant  suscipi,  prohibeor." 

Isto   quoque   fortunae   naufragio   Psyche  perterrita  nee 
indipisci  iam  maritum  volatilem  quiens,   tota   spe  salutis 
deposita,  sic  ipsa  suas  cogitationes  consuluit :    "  Iam  quae  20 
possunt   alia    meis    aerumnis   temptari   vel   adhiberi    sub- 
sidia,    cui    nee    dearum    quidem,    quamquam     volentium, 
potuerunt  prodesse  suffragia?     Quo  rursum  itaque   tantis 
laqueis  inclusa   vestigium   porrigam  quibusque   tectis   vel 
etiam    tenebris    abscondita    magnae    Veneris    inevitabiles  25 
oculos    effugiam?      Quin   igitur   masculum    tandem   sumis 
animum  et  cassae  speculae  renuntias  fortiter  et  ultroneam 
te  dominae  tuae   reddis   et   vel   sera   modestia   saevientes 
impetus    eius    mitigas  ?     Qui   scias,   an   etiam,   quem   diu 
quaeritas,  illic   in   domo  matris   repperias  ? "     Sic  ad  du-  30 
bium    obsequium,    immo   ad   certum    exitium    praeparata, 
principium  futurae  secum  meditabatur  obsecrationis. 


92  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

At  Venus  terrenis  remediis  inquisitionis  abnuens  caelum 
petit.  lubet  instrui  currum,  quern  ei  Vulcanus  aurifex 
subtili  fabrica  studiose  poliverat  et  ante  thalami  rudi men- 
turn  nuptiale  munus  obtulerat,  limae  tenuantis  det];imento 

5  conspicuum  et  ipsius  auri  damno  pretiosum. 

De  multis,  quae  circa  cubiculum  dominae  stabulant,  pro- 
cedunt  quattuor  candidae  columbae  et  hilaris  incessibus 
picta  colla  torquentes  iugum  gemmeum  subeunt  suscepta- 
que  domina  laetae  subvolant.     Currum  deae  prosequentes 

lOgannitu  constrepenti  lasciviunt  passeres  et  ceterae,  quae 
dulce  cantitant,  aves  melleis  modulis  suave  resonantes  ad- 
ventum  deae  pronuntiant.  Cedunt  nubes  et  Caelum  filiae 
panditur  et  summus  aether  cum  gaudio  suscipit  deam,  nee 
obvias   aquilas   vel   accipitres  rapaces  pertimescit  magnae 

15  Veneris  canora  familia. 

Tunc  se  protinus  ad  lovis  regias  arces  dirigit  et  petitu 
superbo,  Mercuri,  dei  vocalis,  operae  necessariam  usuram 
postulat.  Nee  rennuit  lovis  caerulum  supercilium.  Tunc 
ovans  ilico,  comitante  etiam  Mercuric,  Venus  caelo  demeat 

20  eique  sollicite  serit  verba :  "  Frater  Arcadi,  scis  nempe  soro- 
rem  tuam  Venerem  sine  Mercuri  praesentia  nil  unquam 
fecisse  nee  te  praeterit  utique,  quanto  iam  tempore  delites- 
centem  ancillam  nequiverim  repperire.  Nil  ergo  superest 
quam   tuo   praeconio   praemium   investigationis  publicitus 

25  edicere. 

"  Fac  ergo  mandatum  matures  meum  et  indicia,  qui  possit 
agnosci,  manifeste  designes,  ne,  si  quis  occultationis  illicitae 
crimen  subierit,  ignorantiae  se  possit  excusatione  defen- 
dere  " ;  et  simul  dicens  libellum  ei  porrigit,  ubi  Psyches  nomen 

30  continebatur  et  cetera.     Quo  facto  protinus  domum  secessit. 

Nee  Mercurius  omisit  obsequium.     Nam  per  omnium  ora 

populorum  passim  discurrens  sic  mandatae  praedicationis 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  93 

munus  exsequebatur :  "  Si  quis  a  fuga  retrahere  vel  occultam 
demonstrare  poterit  fugitivam  regis  filiam,  Veneris  ancillam, 
nomine  Psychen,  conveniat  retro  metas  Murtias  Mercurium 
praedicatorem,  accepturus  indicivae  nomine  ab  ipsa  Venere 
septem  savia  suavia  et  unum  blandientis  adpulsu  linguae  5 
longe  mellitum." 

Ad  hunc  modum  pronuntiante  Mercurio  tanti  praemii 
cupido  certatim  omnium  mortalium  studium  adrexerat. 
Quae  res  nunc  vel  maxime  sustulit  Psyches  omnem  cuncta- 
tionem.  lamque  fores  ei  dominae  proximanti  occurrit  una  10 
de  famulitione  Veneris  nomine  Consuetudo  statimque,  quan- 
tum maxime  potuit,  exclamat :  "  Tandem,  ancilla  nequissima, 
dominam  habere  te  scire  coepisti?  An  pro  cetera  morum 
tuorum  temeritate  istud  quoque  nescire  te  fingis,  quantos 
labores  circa  tuas  inquisitiones  sustinuerimus  ?  Sed  bene,  15 
quod  meas  potissimum  manus  incidisti  et  inter  Orci  cancros 
iam  ipsos  haesisti  datura  scilicet  actutum  tantae  contumaciae 
poenas,"  et  audaciter  in  capillos  eius  inmissa  manu  trahebat 
eam  nequaquam  renitentem. 

Quam  ubi  primum  inductam  oblatamque  sibi  conspexit20 
Venus,  latissimum  cachinnum  extollit  et  qualem  solent 
furenter  irati,  caputque  quatiens  et  ascalpens  aurem  dex- 
teram  "  Tandem,"  inquit,  "  dignata  es  socrum  tuam  salu- 
tare  ?  An  potius  maritum,  qui  tuo  vulnere  periclitatur, 
intervisere  venisti  ?  Sed  esto  secura,  iam  enim  excipiam  te,  25 
ut  bonam  nurum  condecet " ;  et  "  Ubi  sunt,"  inquit, 
"  Sollicitudo  atque  Tristities,  ancillae  meae  ?  " 

Quibus  intro  vocatis  torquendam  tradidit  eam.     At  illae 
sequentes    erile    praeceptum    Psychen    misellam    flagellis 
afflictam  et  ceteris  tormentis  excruciatam  iterum  dominae  30 
conspectui  redduut.     Tunc  rursus  sublato  risu  Venus  *'Et 
ecce,"  inquit,  "  nobis  turgidi  ventris  sui  lenocinio  commovet 


94  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

miserationem,  unde  me  praeclara  subole  aviam  beatam 
scilicet  faciat.  Felix  vero  ego,  quae  in  ipso  aetatis  meae 
flore  vocabor  avia  et  vilis  ancillae  filius  nepos  Veneris  audiet. 
Quanquam  inepta  ego  frustra  filium  dicam;  impares  enim 

5  nuptiae  et  praeterea  in  villa  sine  testil)us  et  patre  non  con- 
sentiente  factae,  legitimae  non  possunt  videri  ac  per  hoc 
spurius  iste  nascetur,  si  tamen  partum  omnino  perferre  te 
patiemur." 

His  editis  involat  earn  vestemque  plurifariam   diloricat 

10  capilloque  discisso  et  capite  conquassato  graviter  affligit  et 
accepto  frumento  et  hordeo  et  milio  et  papavere  et  cicere  et 
lente  et  faba  commixtisque  acervatim  confusis  in  unum 
grumulum  sic  ad  illam :  "  Videris  enim  mihi  tam  deformis 
ancilla  nullo  alio,  sed  tantum  sedulo  ministerio  amatores 

15  tuos  promereri ;  iam  ergo  et  ipsa  f  rugem  tuam  periclitabor. 
Discerne  seminum  istorum  passivam  congeriem  singulisque 
granis  rite  dispositis  atque  seiugatis  ante  istam  vesperam 
opus  expeditum  approbato  mihi." 

Sic  assignato  tantorum  seminum  cumulo  ipsa  cenae  nup- 

20  tiali  concessit.  Nee  Psyche  manus  admolitur  inconditae  illi 
et  inextricabili  moli,  sed  immanitate  praecepti  consternata 
silens  obstupescit.  Tunc  formicula  ilia  parvula  atque  ruri- 
cola,  certa  difficultatis  tantae  laborisque,  miserta  contuber- 
nalis   magni   dei    socrusque  saevitiam  execrata,  discurrens 

26naviter  convocat  corrogatque  cunctam  formicarum  accola- 
rum  classem :  "  Miseremini  terrae  omniparentis  agiles  alum- 
nae, miseremini  et  Amoris  uxori,  puelhie  lepidae,  periclitanti 
prompta  velocitate  succurrite." 

Ruunt  aliae  superque  aliae  sepedum  populorum   undae 

SOsummoque  studio  singulae  granatin!  totum  digerunt  acervum 
separatimque  distributis  dissitisque  generibus  e  conspectu 
perniciter  abeunt. 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  95 

Sed  initio  noctis  e  convivio  nuptiali  vino  madens  et 
fraglans  balsama  Venus  remeat  totumque  revincta  corpus 
rosis  micantibus  visaque  diligentia  miri  laboris :  "  Non 
tuum,"  inquit,  "  nequissima,  nee  tuarum  manuum  istud 
opus,  sed  illius,  cui  tuo,  immo  et  ipsius  malo  placuisti " ;  5 
et  frusto  cibarii  panis  ei  proiecto  cubitum  facessit.  In- 
terim Cupido  solus  interioris  domus  unici  cubiculi  custodia 
clausus  coercebatur  acriter,  partim  ne  petulanti  luxurie 
vulnus  gravaret,  partim  ne  cum  sua  cupita  conveniret.  Sic 
ergo  distentis  et  sub  nno  tecto  separatis  amatoribus  tetraio 
nox  exanclata. 

Sed  Aurora  commodum  inequitante  vocatae  Psychae 
Venus  infit  talia.  "  Videsne  illud  nemus,  quod  fluvio  prae- 
terluenti  ripisque  longis  attenditur,  cuius  imi  gurgites 
vicinum  fontem  despiciunt  ?  Oves  ibi  nitentes  aurique  co- 15 
lore  florentes  incustodito  pastu  vagantur.  Inde  de  coma 
pretiosi  velleris  floccum  mihi  confestim  quoquo  modo  quae- 
situm  afferas  censeo." 

Perrexit  Psyche   volenter   non   obsequium    quidem   ilia 
functura,  sed  requiem  malorum  praecipitio  fluvialis  rupis  20 
habitura.      Sed    inde   de    fluvio   musicae   suavis   nutricula 
leni  crepitu  dulcis  aurae  divinitus  inspirata  sic  vaticinatur 
arundo  viridis :   "  Psyche,  tantis  aerumnis  exercita,  neque 
tua  miserrima  morte  meas  sanctas  aquas  polluas  nee  vero 
istud  horae  contra  formidabiles  oves  f eras  aditum,  quoad  de  25 
solis  fraglantia  mutuatae  calorem  truci  rabie  solent  efferi 
cornuque  acuto  et  fronte  saxea  et  non  nunquam  venenatis 
morsibus  in  exitium  saevire  mortalium ;  sed  dum  meridies 
solis  sedaverit  vaporem  et  pecua  spiritus  fluvialis  serenitate 
conquieverint,  poteris  sub  ilia  procerissima  platano,   quae  30 
mecum  simul  unum  fluentum  bibit,  latenter  abscondere.    Et 
cum  primum  mitigata  furia  laxaverint  oves  animum,  per- 


96  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

cussis  frondibus  attigui  nemoris  lanosum  aurum  repperies, 
quod  passim  stirpibus  convexis  obhaerescit." 

Sic  arundo  simplex  et  humana  Psychen  aegerrimam 
salutem  suam  docebat.     Nee  auscultatu  inpaenitendo  dili- 

5  genter  instructa  ilia  cessavit,  sed  observatis  omnibus  fura- 
trina  facili  flaventis  auri  mollitie  congestum  gremiura 
Veneri  reportat. 

Nee  tamen  apud  dominam  saltem  secundi  laboris  pericu- 
lum  secundum  testimonium  meruit,  sed  contortis  suj^erciliis 

10  subridens  amarum  sic  inquit :  "  Nee  me  praeterit  huius 
quoque  facti  auctor  adulterinus.  Sed  iam  nunc  ego  sedulo 
periclitabor  an  oppido  forti  animo  singularique  prudentia 
sis  praedita.  Videsne  insistentem  celsissimae  illi  rupi 
montis  ardui  verticem,  de  quo  fontis  atri  fuscae  defluunt 

15  undae  proxumaeque  conceptaculo  vallis  inclusae  Stygias 
inrigant  paludes  et  rauca  Cocyti  fluenta  nutriunt  ?  Indidem 
mihi  de  summi  fontis  penita  scaturrigiue  rorem  rigentem 
hauritum  ista  confestim  defer  urnula."  Sic  aiens  crustallo 
dedolatum    vasculum,    insuper    ei     graviora     comminata, 

20  tradidit. 

At  ilia  studiose  gradum  celerans  montis  extremum  petit 
tumulum  certe  vel  illic  inventura  vitae  pessimae  finem.  Sed 
cum  primum  praedicti  iugi  conterminos  locos  appulit,  videt 
rei  vastae  letalem  difficultatem.      Namque  saxum  immani 

25  magnitudine  procerum  et  inaccessa  salebritate  lubricum 
mediis  e  faucibus  lapidis  fontes  horridos  evomebat,  qui 
statim  proni  foraminis  lacunis  editi  perque  proclive  delapsi 
et  angusti  canalis  exarato  contecti  tramite  proxumam  con- 
vallem  latenter  incidebant. 

30  Dextra  laevaque  cautibus  cavatis  proserpunt  et  longa 
colla  i)orrecti  saevi  dracones  inconivae  vigiliae  luminibus 
addictis  et  in  perpetuam  lucem  pupulis  excubantibus.     Iam- 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  97 

que  et  ipsae  semet  muniebant  vocales  aquae.  Nam  et 
"  Discede  "  et  "  quid  facis  ?  vide  "  et  "  quid  agis  ?  Cave  " 
et  "  fuge  "  et  "  peribis  "  subinde  clamant.  Sic  impossibili- 
tate  ipsa  mutata  in  lapidem  Psyche,  quamvis  praesenti 
corpore,  sensibus  tamen  aberat  et  inextricabilis  periculi  mole  5 
prorsus  obruta  lacrumarum  etiam  extreme  solacio  carebat. 

Nee  Providentiae  bonae  graves  oculos  innocentis  animae 
latuit  aerumna.     Nam  sujjremi  lovis  regalis  ales  ilia  repente 
propansis  utrimque  pinuis  affuit  rapax  aquila   memorque 
veteris  obsequii,  quo  ducto  Cupidinis  lovi  pocillatorem  Fry-lO 
gium  substulerat,  oportunam  ferens  opem  deique   numen 
in  uxoris  laboribus  percolens  alti  culminis  diales  vias  deserit 
et  ob  OS  puellae  praevolans  incipit :  "  At  tu,  simplex  alio- 
quin  et  expers  rerum  talium,  sperasne  te  sanctissimi  nee 
minus  truculenti  fontis  vel  unam  stillam  posse  furari  vel  15 
omnino  contingere  ?     Diis  etiam  ipsique  lovi  f ormidabiles 
aquas  istas  Stygias  vel  fando  comperisti,  quodque  vos  de- 
ieratis    per   numiua   deorum,  deos  per    Stygis  maiestatem 
solere  ?     Sed  cedo  istam  urnulam "  et  protinus  adreptam 
complexamque   festinat    libratisque    pinnarum    nutantium20 
molibus  inter  genas  saevientium  dentium  et  trisulca  vibra- 
mina  draconum   remigium  dextra  laevaque  porrigens  vo- 
lentes   aquas    et,   ut   abiret  innoxius,   praestantes    excipit, 
commentus  ob  iussum  Veneris  petere  eique  se  praeminis- 
trare,  quare  paulo  f acilor  adeundi  fuit  copia.     Sic  acceptam  25 
cum  gaudio  plenam  urnulam  Psyche  Veneri  citata  rettulit. 

Nee  tamen  nutum  deae  saevientis  vel  tunc  expiare  potuit. 
Nam  sic  eam  maiora  atcj^ue  peiora  fiagitia  comniinans  ap- 
pellat  renidens  exitiabile  :  "  lam  tu  quidem  magna  videris 
quaedam  mihi  et  alta  prorsus  maletica,  quae  talibus  prae-30 
ceptis  meis  obtemperasti  naviter.  Sed  adhuc  istud,  mea 
pupula,    ministrare   debebis.      Sume    istam    pyxidem,"    et 


98  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

dedit ;  "  protinus  usque  ad  inferos  et  ipsius  Orel  ferales 
penates  te  derige.  Tunc  conferen  pyxidem  Proserpinae : 
*  Petit  de  te  Venus,'  dicito,  '  modicum  de  tua  mittas  ei  for- 
monsitate  vel  ad  unam  saltem  dieculam   sufficiens.      Nam 

5  quod  habuit,  dum  filium  curat  aegrotum,  consumpsit  atque 

contrivit   omne.'     Sed   baud    immaturius    redito,    quia   me 

necesse  est  indidem  delitam  theatrum  deorum  frequentare." 

Tunc  Psyche  vel  maxime  sensit  ultimas  fortunas  suas  et 

velamento  reiecto  ad  promptum  exitium  sese  eompelli  mani- 

10  feste  comperit.  Quidni  ?  Quae  suis  pedibus  ultro  ad  Tar- 
tarum  manesque  commeare  cogeretur.  Nee  cunctata  diutius 
pergit  ad  quampiam  turrim  praealtam,  indidem  sese  datura 
praecipitem ;  sic  enim  rebatur  ad  inferos  recte  atque  pul- 
cherrime  se  posse  descendere. 

15  Sed  turris  prorumpit  in  vocem  subitam  et,  *'  Quid  te/' 
inquit,  "  praecipitem,  o  misella,  quaeris  extinguere  ?  Quid- 
que  iam  novissimo  periculo  laborique  isto  temere  succumbis  ? 
Nam  si  spiritus  corpore  tuo  semel  fuerit  seiugatus,  ibis 
quidem  profecto  ad  imum  Tartarum,  sed  inde  nullo  pacto 

20  redire  poteris.  Mihi  ausculta.  Lacedaemo  Achaiae  nobilis 
civitas  non  longe  sita  est ;  liuius  conterminam  deviis  abdi- 
tam  locis  quaere  Taenarum.  Inibi  spiraculum  Ditis,  et  per 
portas  hiantes  monstratur  iter  invium,  cui  te  limine  trans- 
meato  simul  commiseris,  iam  canale  directo  perges  ad  ipsam 

25  Orci  regiam.  Sed  non  hactenus  vacua  debebis  per  illas 
tenebras  incedere,  sed  offas  polentae  mulso  concretas  am- 
babus  gestare  manibus,  at  in  ipso  ore  duas  ferre  stipes. 

"  lamque  confecta  bona  parte  mortiferae  viae  continaberis 
clauduin  asiiiuiii  lignonun  gerulum  cum  agasone  simili,  qui 

:JOte  rogabit,  dccidentis  sarciuae  fusticulos  aliciuos  porrigas  ei, 
sed  til  nulla  voc(!  dc.proinijta  tacita  prat't(n'it().  Nee  mora, 
cum  ad  flumcu  nioiluuiu  veiiies,  cui  })ra('rc!('tus  Charon,  pro- 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  99 

tenus  expetens  portorium,  sic  ;id  rii)aiii  iilteriorein  sutili 
cumba  deducit  commeautes.  Ergo  et  inter  mortuos  avaritia 
vivit  nee  Charon  ille  vel  Ditis  pater,  tantus  deus,  quicquam 
gratuito  facit,  set  moriens  pauper  viaticum  debet  quaerere 
et  aes  si  forte  prae  manu  non  fuerit,  nemo  eum  expirare  5 
patietur.  Huic  squalido  seni  dabis  nauli  nomine  de  stipibus, 
quas  feres,  alteram,  sic  tamen,  ut  ipse  sua  manu  de  tuo 
sumat  ore. 

"Nee  setius  tibi  pigrum  fluentum  transmeanti  quidam 
supernatans  senex  mortuus  putris  adtollens  manus  orabit,  lO 
ut  eum  intra  navigium  trahas,  nee  tu  tamen  inlicita  adflec- 
tare  pietate.  Transito  fluvio  modicum  te  progressara  tex- 
trices  orabunt  anus  telam  struentes  manus  paulisper  accom- 
modes,  nee  id  tamen  tibi  contingere  fas  est.  Nam  haec 
omnia  tibi  et  multa  alia  de  Veneris  insidiis  orientur,  ut  15 
vel  unam  de  manibus  omittas  offulam. 

"  Nee  putes  futile  istud  polentacium  damnum  leve  ;  altera 
enim  perdita,  lux  haec  tibi  prorsus  denegabitur.  Canis 
namque  praegrandis,  teriugo  et  satis  amplo  capite  praeditus, 
immanis  et  f ormidabilis,  tonantibus  oblatrans  faucibus  mor-  20 
tuos,  quibus  iam  nil  mali  potest  facere,  frustra  territando 
ante  ipsum  limen  et  atra  atria  Proserpinae  semper  excubans 
servat  vacuam  Ditis  domum.  Hunc  offrenatum  unius 
offulae  praeda  facile  praeteribis  ad  ipsamque  protinus  Pro- 
serpinam  introibis,  quae  te  comiter  excipiet  ac  benigne,  ut25 
et  molliter  assidere  et  prandium  opipare  suadeat  sumere. 

"  Sed  tu  et  humi  reside  et  panem  sordidum  petitum  esto, 
deinde  nuntiato,  quid  adveneris,  susceptoque  quod  offeretur 
rursus  remeans  canis  saevitiam  offula  reliqua  redime  ac 
deinde  avaro  navitae  data,  quam  reservaveras,  stipe  tran-30 
sitoque  eius  fluvio,  recolens  priora  vestigia  ad  istum  caeles- 
tium    siderum    redies    chorum,        Sed    inter     omnia    hoc 


100  LUCIUS   APULEIUS 

observandum   praecipue  tibi   censeo   ne   velis   aperire   vel 
inspicere  illam,  quam  feres,  pyxidein  vel   omnino  divinae 
formonsitatis  abdituni  scrutari  curiosiiis  thensaurum." 
Sic  turris  ilia  prospicua  vaticinationis  niunus  explicuit. 

5  Nee  morata  Psyche  pergit  Taenarum  sumptisque  rite  stipi- 
bus  illis  et  offulis  infernum  decurrit  meatum  transitoque 
per  silentium  asinario  debili  et  amnica  stipe  vectori  data, 
neglecto  supernatantis  mortui  desiderio  et  spretis  textricum 
subdolis  precibus  et  offulae  cibo  sopita  canis  horrenda  rabie 

10  dornuni  Proserpinae  penetrat. 

Nee  offerentis  hospitae  sedile  delicatum  vel  cibum  beatum 
amplexa,  sed  ante  pedes  eius  residens  humilis  cibario  pane 
contenta  Veneriam  pertulit  legationem.  Statimque  secreto 
repletam  conclusamque  pyxidem  suscipit  et  otfulae  sequentis 

15  f raude  caninis  latratibus  obseratis  residuaque  navitae  red- 
dita  stipe  longe  vegetior  ab  inferis  recurrit.  Et  repetita 
atque  adorata  Candida  ista  luce,  quanquam  festinans  obse- 
quium  terminare,  mentem  capitur  temeraria  curiositate  et 
"  Ecce,"  inquit,  "  inepta  ego  divinae  formonsitatis  gerula, 

20  quae  nee  tautillum  quidem  indidem  milii  delibo  vel  sic  illi 
amatori  ineo  formonso  placitura,"  et  cum  dicto  reserat 
pyxidem. 

Nee  quicquam  ibi  rerum  nee  formonsitas  ulla,  sed  infernus 
somnus   ac   vere   Stygius,   qui   statim   coperculo  revelatus 

25  invadit  earn  crassaque  soporis  nebula  cunctis  eius  membris 
perfunditur  et  in  ipso  vestigio  ipsaque  semita  conlapsam 
possidet.  Et  iacebat  immobilis  ct  nihil  aliud  quam  dormiens 
cadaver. 

Sed  Cupido  iam  cicatrice  solida  revalescens  nee  diutinam 

30  suae  Psyches  absentiam  tolerans  per  altissimam  cubiculi, 
quo  cohibebatur,  elapsus  fenestrain  refectiscjue  peunis  ali- 
quanta  quiete  longe  velocius    provolaus   Psychen  accurrit 


CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  101 

suam  detersoque  somno  curiose  et  rursum  in  pristinam 
pyxidis  sedem  recondito  Psychen  iunoxio  punctulo  sagittae 
suae  suscitat  et  "  Ecce,"  inquit,  ''  rursum  perieras,  misella, 
simili  curiositate.  Sed  interim  quidem  tu  provinciam,  quae 
tibi  matris  meae  praecepto  mandata  est,  exsequere  naviter,  5 
cetera  egomet  videro."  His  dictis  amator  levis  in  pinnas 
se  dedit,  Psyche  vero  confestim  Veneri  munus  reportat 
Proserpinae. 

Interea  Cupido  amore  nimio  peresus  et  aegra  facie,  matris 
suae  repentinam  sobrietatem  pertimescens,  ad  armillum  redit  10 
alisque  pernicibus  caeli  penetrate  vertice  magno  lovi  sup- 
plicat  suamque  causam  probat. 

Tunc  luppiter  prehensa  Cupidinis  buccula  manuque  ad  os 
suum  relata  consaviat  atque  sic  ad  ilium  "  Licet  tu,"  inquit, 
"  domine  fili,  numquam  mihi  concessu  deum  decretum  serva- 15 
ris  honorem,  sed  istud  pectus  meum,  quo  leges  elenientorum 
et  vices  siderum  disponuutur,  convulneraris  assiduis  ictibus 
crebrisque  terrenae  libidinis   foedaveris  casibus  contraque 
leges  et  ipsam  luliam  disciplinamque   publicam   turpibus 
adulteriis  existimationem  famamque  meam  laeseris  in  ser-20 
pentes,  in  ignes,  in  feras,  in  aves  et  gregalia  pecua  serenos 
vultus  meos  sordide  reformando,  at  tamen  modestiae  meae 
memor  quodque   inter   istas    meas  manus  creveris,  cuneta 
proficiam,  dum  tamen  scias  aemulos  tuos  cavere  ac,  si  qua 
nunc   in   terris   puella   praepollet   pulcritudine,    praesentis25 
beneficii  vicem  per  eam  mihi  repensare  te  debere." 

Sic  fatus  iubet  Mercurium  deos  omnes  ad  contionem 
protinus  convocare  ac,  si  qui  coetu  caelestium  defuisset,  in 
poenam  decern  milium  nummum  conventum  iri  pronuntiare. 
Quo  metu  statim  completo  caelesti  theatro  pro  sede  sublimi  30 
sedens  procerus  luppiter  sic  enuntiat :  "  Dei  conscripti  Mu- 
sarum  albo,  adolescentem  istum  quod  manibus  meis  alum- 


102  LUCIUS  APULEIUS 

natus  sim,  profecto  scitis  omnes.  Cuius  primae  inventutis 
caloratos  impetus  f reno  quodam  coercendos  existimavi ;  sat 
est  cotidianis  eum  fabulis  ob  adulteria  cunctasque  cor- 
ruptelas  infamatum.     Tollenda  est  omnis  occasio  et  luxuria 

5  puerilis  nuptialibus  pedicis  alliganda.  Puellam  elegit  et 
virginitate  privavit ;  teneat,  possideat,  amplexus  Psychen 
semper  suis  amoribus  perfruatur." 

Et  ad  Venerem  conlata  facie  "Nee  tu,"  inquit,  "filia, 
quicquam  contristere  nee  prosapiae  tantae  tuae  statuque  de 

10  matrimonio  mortali  metuas,  lam  faxo  nuptias  non  impares, 
sed  legitimas  et  iure  civili  congruas,"  et  ilico  per  Mercurium 
arripi  Psychen  et  in  caelum  perduci  iubet.  Porrecto  am- 
brosiae  poculo  "  Sume,"  inquit,  "  Psyche,  et  immortalis  esto 
nee  umquam  digredietur  a  tuo  nexu  Cupido,  sed  istae  vobis 

15  erunt  perpetuae  nuptiae." 

Nee  mora,  cum  cena  nuptialis  affluens  exhibetur.  Ac- 
cumbebat  summum  torum  maritus,  Psychen  gremio  suo 
complexus.  Sic  et  cum  sua  lunone  luppiter  ac  deinde  per 
ordinem   toti  dei.      Tunc   poculum   nectaris,   quod   vinum 

20deorum  est,  lovi  quidem  suus  pocillator  ille  rusticus  puer, 
ceteris  vero  Liber  ministrabat,  Vulcanus  cenam  coquebat ; 
Horae  rosis  et  ceteris  floribus  purpurabant  omnia,  Gratiae 
spargebant  balsama,  Musae  quoque  canora  personabant ; 
Apollo  cantavit  ad  citharam,  Venus  suavi  musicae  suppari 

25gressu  formonsa  saltavit,  scaena  sibi  sic  concinnata,  ut 
Musae  quidem  chorum  canerent  aut  tibias  inflarent,  Saturus 
et  Paniscus  ad  fistulam  dicerent.  Sic  rite  Psyche  convenit 
in  manum  Cupidinis  et  nascitur  illis  maturo  partu  filia, 
quam  Voluptatem  nominamus. 


NOTES 


ABBREVIATIONS 


Apol.  =  Apuleius'  Apologia. 
Apul.  Met.  =  Apuleius'  Metamor- 
phoses. 
c.  =  chapter, 
cf.  =  compare. 

Cic.  Topica  =  Cicero's  Topica. 
etc.  =  and  so  forth. 
i.e.  =  that  is. 
Her.  Epist.  =  Horace's  Epistles. 


Hor.  Od.  =  Horace's  Odes. 
1.  =  Une. 
p.  =  page. 

PL  Capt.  —  Plautus'  Captivi. 
Sal.  Jug.  =  Sallust's  Jugurtha. 
sc.  =  supply, 
seq.  -=  and  following. 
Suet.    Tit.   =  Suetonius'   Life 
Titus. 


of 


NOTES 

I.   TALE  OF  ARISTOMENES 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses^  I,  6-19.) 

Page  1.  1.  cuiatis  :  archaic  for  cuias.  sim  :  the  stoiy  is  narrated 
to  Lucius  by  a  couimercial  traveller  (see  Introduction,  p.  xxviii)  as  they 
are  travelling  together  to  Thessaly. 

3.  cauponarum  :  caupona  is  a  retail  shop.  The  buyer  purchased 
these  commodities  wholesale  to  resell  them  at  retail. 

4.  Comperto  :  ablative  absolute  ;  the  substantive  is  the  following  in- 
finitive clause. 

6.  distrabi :  "  be  disposed  of . "  The  verb  here  has  the  general  mean- 
ing of  "sell,"  not  the  specific  meaning,  "sell  at  retail." 

7.  praestiiiatunis  :  praestinare  is  ante-  and  post-classical  for  eniere. 
9.    negotiator  magnariua  :  "  wholesale  dealer. " 

11.    commodum  :  "just, "  adverb  modifying  one?iie. 

13.  palliastro  :  "ragged  cloak."  Apuleian  ;  note  the  force  of  the 
termination  -astrum. 

14.  decermina :  "outcasts";  literally,  dead  leaves  or  branches 
plucked  from  the  living  plant. 

20.    iuridici  :  "judge"  ;  the  word  is  used  in  the  Digests  of  Justinian. 
22.    captivitatem  :  "  blindness  "  ;  cf.  the  common  phrases,  capi  oculis, 
auribus,  rnembris,  etc. 

Page  2.  1.  suis  sibi  :  sibi  emphasizes  the  possessive  adjective  pro- 
noun suis ;  "by  her  own  parents."  She  is  forced  by  her  parents  to 
change  the  sorrow  of  the  family  to  joy,  by  a  new  marriage. 

2.  cum  Bummo  dedecore  nostro  :  that  is,  for  allowing  him  to  be  in 
such  a  plight. 

3.  ne  :  the  emphatic  particle  equivalent  to  immo ;  "you  are  indeed 
ignorant. ' ' 

5.  sutili  centunculo  :  "  his  patchwork  robe. " 

6.  ab  umbilico  pube  tenua  :  freely,  "  from  the  waist  down. "  The 
prepositional  phrase  modilies  cetera  corporis. 

11.    diutius  :  "still  further." 

105 


106  NOTES  [Page  2 

12.  effeci  sequatur  :  efficio  may  in  classical  prose  be  followed  by  a 
substantive  clause  of  purpose  or  result.  It  is  only  in  poetry,  however, 
that  the  ut  may  be  omitted.       laciniis  :  post-classical  for  vestibus. 

14.  quod  unctui  quod  tersui :  datives  of  purpose  ;  supply  erat. 

15.  curato  :  ablative  absolute  for  the  normal  curatum. 

18.  adlubentia  :  Apuleian  for  voluntas.  scitum  etiam  cavillum  : 
"clever  raillery  too." 

19.  intimida  :  this  adjective  does  not  occur  elsewhere  ;  cf.  adverb 
intimide. 

23.  secundum:  "  in  pursuit  of"  ;  "following"  ;  equivalent  here  to 
propter. 

24.  mense  decimo  ibidem  attentus  :  "after  being  detained  there 
ten  months." 

25.  modico  prius  :  sc.  tempore;  "  just  before." 

26.  per  transitum  :  "en  passant."  obiturus :  may  mean  either 
"to  visit  "  or  "to  vie  w. " 

29.    admodum  scitulam  :  "  quite  attractive. " 

32.  nimis  quam  :  the  intensive  adverb  for  the  classical  perquam, 
nimis  being  in  this  sense  archaic. 

Page  3.  1.  ut  cum  ilia  adquievi  :  "from  the  very  time  that  I  was 
entertained  by  her." 

2.    ab  unico  congressu  :  "  as  a  result  of  this  one  meeting." 

4.  operulas  :  "  earnings,"  post-classical. 

5.  saccariam :  saccarius,  "ones  who  carrie  sacks";  saccaria,  the 
labor  itself.  The  latter  is  found  only  here  and  is  probably  an  adjective 
with  ellipsis  of  ars. 

10.  scortum  scorteum  :  note  play  on  woi-ds,  "wrinkled  harlot." 
Scorteum,  "like  leather";  cf.  post-classical  meaning  of  scortum, 
"  leather." 

11.  digitum  a  pollice  proximum  :  also  known  as  the  index  or  salu- 
taris.  The  next  finger  is  known  as  the  medlus ;  the  i-ing  finger  was 
called  minimo  proxtmus  or  medicinalis. 

12.  circumspiciens  tutamenta  sermonis  :  "  looking  around  to  see 
whether  it  was  safe  to  speak." 

15.  ain  tandem  :  ain  =  aisne :  "  What  do  you  mean,  pray  ?  " 

16.  quid  mulieris  :  "what  kind  of  wonuui?  " 

21.  aulaeum  :  Ihe  large  curtain  of  the  stage  ;  siparium,  the  small 
curtain  raised  between  the  scenes. 

22.  cedo :  "speak";  literally,  "here,"  "give."  An  archaic 
imperative. 


Page  5]  TALE   OF    ARISTOMENES  107 

25.  Aethiopes  utrique  :"  both  tribes  of  the  Aethiopians."  Aethiopia 
was  divided  into  eastern  and  western.  Cf.  Hor.  Od.  2,  2,  11,  uterque 
Poenus. 

26.  Anticthones  :  "antipodes."  She  could  influence  the  most  out 
of  the  way  people.  folia:  "trifles";  practically  synonymous  with 
nugae. 

30.  adventorea :  "customers."  roncis  :  "croakings";  also 
spelled  rhonchis. 

31.  de  foro  :  prepositional  phrase  modifying  aliuiyi,  "  a  lawyer." 

Page  4.  1.  nocerentur  :  note  the  very  rare  personal  passive  con- 
struction. Cf.  Hor.  Epiiit.  1,  5,  21.  publicitus  :  ante-  and  post-clas- 
sical iov  puhlice. 

2.  die  altera  :  meaning  after  the  deliberation. 

4.  virtutibus  :  "by  the  efficacy  "  or  "  potency." 

5.  iinius  dieculae  .  .  .  indutiis  :  "truce  of  one  short  day"  ;  the 
time  Medea  was  allowed  by  Creon  to  remain,  after  he  had  decided  to  send 
her  away. 

6.  coronalibus  :  according  to  one  account  the  consuming  poison  was 
smeared  on  the  bride's  crown  ;  according  to  another,  upon  her  robe. 

7.  in  scrobem  :  "  on,"  that  is,  "  over  a  trench." 

8.  suis  sibi  :  see  note,  p.  2,  1.  1. 

9.  numinum  :  that  is,  of  the  nether  divinities  she  invoked. 
15.    coetus  illius  :  i.e.  of  those  who  had  condemned  her. 

20.  novo  hospiti  :  i.e.  for  the  occupant  of  the  house  she  was  carry- 
ing off  and  consequently  for  the  house  itself. 

27.  noctis  antelucio  :  antelucio  is  an  adverb  ;  noctis  a  genitive  de- 
pending thereon  ;  "  that  part  of  night  just  before  dawn." 

32.  grabatulo  .  .  .  adgesto  :  "  drawing  up  and  propping  my  bed 
well  against  the  door." 

Page  5.     1.    super  eum  me  recipio  :  "I  stretched  myself  upon  it." 

3.  commodum  quieveram  :  "  I  had  just  gone  to  sleep." 

10.  tunc  .  .  .  provenire  :  "  I  then  experienced  that  not  uncommon 
revulsion  of  feeling  "  ;  naturalitus  post-classical  for  naturaliter. 

13.   testudo  factus  :  the  bed  formed  his  shell,  as  it  were. 
19.    Catamitus  :  the  Latin  transliteration  of  Ganymede. 

28.  sero  :  "too  late,"  as  usual.  The  passage,  however,  well  brings 
out  the  real  meaning  of  sero,  "  late  "  rather  than  "  too  late,"  for  she  adds 
immo  statim,  immo  vero  iam  nunc. 


108  NOTES  [Page  5 

32.  quatior :  "my  very  vitals  quake  with  fear";  middle  force  of 
passive . 

Page  6.     4.    reapse  :  "in  fact." 
16.    rebiilliret  :  as  active  verb. 

18.  cave.  .  .  transeaa  :  "  see  to  it  that  thou,  born  in  the  sea,  crosseth 
no  running  stream." 

21.  resurgunt :  they  had  been  knocked  down.  resident:  "settle 
into  the  sockets."  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  cardo  was  a  peg-and- 
socket  arrangement. 

22.  repagula  :   "bars."         pessuli  :  "pin.s." 

26.    Quid  me  fiet :  me,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  ablative  in  this  idiom. 

28.  proclamares  saltern  suppetiatum  :  "  at  least  you  should  have 
called  for  aid."  Sujypetiatum  is  the  supine  of  suppetior,  an  Apuleian 
word.  In  classical  style  the  supine  in  urn  is  restricted  to  its  ordinary  use 
and  to  the  phrases  formed  with  dare,  nuptum,  venum,  pessuin. 

31.  crudelitas  :  abstract  for  concrete.  vel  propter  indicium  : 
"even  to  bear  testimony  to  the  crime."  Sceleris  is  in  double  construc- 
tion, being  felt  with  arbitro  also. 

32.  illo  :  adverb,  i.e.  ad  mortem. 

Page  7.  1.  replicabam  :  more  commonly  volveham ;  post-classical  in 
this  sense. 

2.  anteluculo  :  adverb  ;  cf.  antelncio,  p.  4,  1.  27. 

3.  licet  :  equivalent  to  quamquam  or  in  post-Ciceronian  Latin  quam- 
vis ;  to  be  construed  with  trepido  vestigia. 

4.  subdita  clavi :  "inserting  the  key  "  ;  literally,  placing  the  key  be- 
neath, becaiLse  one  form  of  the  Roman  key  consisted  of  a  hook  which 
caught  the  bolt  and  raised  or  shot  it.  Cf.  p.  20,  1.  17,  where  the  robber 
uses  his  arm  in  place  of  a  clavis. 

8.   stabuli  :  "tavern,"  as  frequently. 

13.  cucurbitae  :  in  the  sense  of  blockhead.  Cf.  the  Greek  term 
apocnlori/ntdsis  used  of  Claudius. 

15.  de  summa  pauperie  :  the  use  of  the  preposition,  approximating 
its  use  in  the  Koniaufi'  lani^Miagcs,  is  noteworthy. 

19.  convectore  :  '•  Icilow-lravcllcr '' ;  cf.  use  of  verb  reho,  both  in 
active  and  passivi^  coiistructioii. 

20.  fugae  mandes  praesidium  :  "you  are  .seeking  .safety  in  flight"  ; 
literally,  "  entrusting  .safety  to  flight." 

23.  esurientem  me  :  the  transitive  use  of  this  verb  is  rather  rare. 


Page  11]  DIOPHANES   THE   CHALDEAN  109 

Page  8.     2.   intextus  :  this  refers  to  the  meshes  of  rope  which  served 
the  purpose  of  the  inoderii  spring. 
4.    obdita  :  "fastened." 
6.    sublimatus  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for  sublimis. 

12.  exerte  :  equivalent  to  ciare. 

18.    marcidum  alioquin  :  "notwithstanding  my  exhaustion." 
23.    odore  :  the  witches  had  drenched  Aristomenes  with  refuse. 

Page  9.     1.   iubaris  :  a  purely  poetic  word. 

2.  arbitrabar  :  "viewed  "  ;  ante-  and  post-classical  meaning. 
4.   extrema  somniasti  :  "  have  had  awful  dreams. " 

8.    autumant :  "  affirm  "  ;  ante-classical. 

14.  iugulum  istum  :  doleo  with  accusative  of  part  affected  is  a  late 
Latin  construction.     Genua,  1.  16,  is  a  similar  construction. 

23.   vitalis  color  turbaverat :  " he  had  become  deadly  pale." 

28.  crebritas  .  .  .  commeantium  :  ' '  the  great  number  as  well  of 
those  travelling  in  the  same  direction." 

30.    satis  detruncaverat :  "  had  well  punished  the  food." 

32.    radices  ;  accusative  following  longe. 

Page  10.  2.  in  colorem  :  the  ordinary  construction  would  be  abla- 
tive of  specification,  but  cf.  the  classical  in  altitudinem. 

3.  explere  :  middle  with  reiiexive  force.  lacteo  :  "pure";  Hieron. 
Epist.  53,  1,  Livius  lacteo  eloquentiae  fonte  manans. 

4.  oppertus  :  note  the  spelling  ;  from  opperior,  not  operlo. 
6.   poculum  :  "a  drink." 

8.   patorem  :  "gap";  post-classical. 

10.    cernuat :  ante-  and  post-classical  iov  praecipltatur. 

13.  sempiterna  :  adverb  ;  a  poetical  use  of  the  neuter  plural  of  the 
adjective. 

16.    ultroneum  :  late  Latin  for  voluntarium. 


II.    DIOPHANES  THE   CHALDEAN 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  II,  13-14.) 

Page  11.  1.  Nam  :  the  following  tale  is  related  to  Lucius  by  his 
Thessalian  host,  Milo. 

2.  donaret :  the  subject  of  the  verb  is  Diophanes,  a  Chaldean  or 
astrologer,  of  whom  Lucius  and  Milo  have  been  speaking. 


110  NOTES  [Page  11 

4.  electum  destinasset :  "  had  selected  and  determined." 

5.  centum  denarium  :  centum  is  here  vLsed  as  an  indeclinable  noun, 
a  construction  seemingly  not  mentioned  by  the  grammars.  The  earlier 
genitive  form  denarium  is  more  common  than  denariorum.  The  same  is 
true  of  the  genitive  form  nummum. 

7.  lacinia  :  cf.  note,  p.  2,  1.  12. 

11.    Quam  olim  :  "  hovp  long  ago  ?  " 

13.   Commodum  :  .see  note,  p.  5,  1.  3. 

18.  necdum  suus :   "  not  yet  quite  himself." 

19.  incidant :  the  classical  construction  requires  in  and  the  accusa- 
tive, or  the  dative. 

21.    regimine  :  poetical  for  gubernaculo. 

Page  12.     4.    mercedi  destinaverat :  "  had  intended  to  pay." 
7.    circumsecuB  :  "  around  about "  ;  only  found  in  Apuleius. 


III.    TELYPHRON'S  TALE   OF  THE   WITCHES 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  II,  21-30.) 

Page  13.  1.  Pupillus  :  he  VFas  still  a  minor.  ego  :  Telyphron  tells 
the  following  tale  at  the  request  of  Byrrena,  a  lady  who  is  entertaining 
Lucius  at  an  elaborate  dinner  party. 

2.  provinciae  :  Achaea. 

3.  fuscis  avibus  :  the  adjectives  malus  or  sinister  are  more  commonly 
used  in  this  connection. 

5.   f omenta  :  "remediess." 

8.   liceretur  :  "  make  a  bid,"  from  liceor. 

10.  oppido  :  the  colloquial  adverb. 

11.  Thessaliae  :  locative  ;  a  poetical  use. 

12.  demorsicant :  Apuleian  for  demordent. 

13.  Bupplementa  :  "ingredients." 

15.  perpetem  :  perpes  is  ante-  and  post-classical  for  perpetuus. 

16.  exertis  :  Apuleian  for  apertis. 

Page  14.     3.    si  qui  :  for  the  more  common  .si  quis. 
5.    desecto  :  ablative  of  instrument  with  sarcire. 

8.  cedo  :  see  note,  p.  3,  1.  22. 

9.  Mille  :  liere  construed  as  noun,  a  construction  generally  restricted 
to  ;ii)t,c-  and  post-classical  Latin  ;  for  nummum  see  note,  p.  11,  1.  6. 
deponentur  :  "  will  be  set  aside." 


Page  16]       TELYPHRON'S   TALE    OF   THE    WITCHES  111 

14.    oculeum  :  adjective  agreeing  with  hominem. 

23.  quam  expergite  :  "  how  wide  awake,"  introducing  an  indirect 
question. 

24.  corollarium  :  "gratuity." 

26.    sic  placito  :  "  with  this  understanding"  ;  ablative  absolute. 

29.  fleto  :  ablative  absolute  ;  cf .  note,  p.  2,  1.  15. 

30.  concepta  de  industria :    "carefully  formulated";    the  exact 
words  are  quoted  below. 


Page  15.     7.    calida  :  so.  aqua. 
8.    discus  :  "  a  plate,"  late  Latin. 

10.   partes  :  equivalent  to  reliquiae  cenarum.        totiugis  :  from  to- 
tiugus,  "  so  many,"  an  Apuleian  word. 
16.   ad  cadaveris  solacium  •.  "  to  keep  the  corpse  company." 

19.  concubia  altiora  :  "deeper  night  when  all  men  are  asleep." 
nox  intempesta  :  "  the  dead  of  night." 

20.  oppido  :  modifying  cumulatior  with  the  force  of  multo  ;  cf.  note, 
p.  13,  1.  10. 

25.   nostri  :  for  the  more  usual  nostrum.  vim  praesentariam  : 

"the  effect  of  my  strength." 

27.  exterminatur :  "banishes  itself  from  the  room,"  with  middle 
force. 

30.  quis  :  for  the  more  exact  uter. 

Page  16.     1.   commodum  :  see  note,  p.  5, 1.  3. 

2.    expergitus  :  the  word  used  in  ordinary  prose  is  experrectus. 

4.  quae  cuncta  convenerant :  this  claase,  mistranslated  in  our 
opinion  by  Butler  and  in  the  Loeb  Library,  means  "all  of  which  had 
been  agreed  upon,"  or,  more  freely,  "  with  reference  to  all  of  which  the 
agreement  had  been  made,"  that  is,  in  the  presence  of  the  witnesses; 
cf.  the  enumeration  on  p.  14,  1.  31,  seq. 

8.   actorem  :  "  steward." 

14.  in  aureos  :  the  classical  construction  would  be  ablative  of  cause, 
but  is  influenced  by  the  preceding  in  gaudium ;  cf.  note,  p.  7,  1.  15. 
ventilabam  :  "  was  jingling." 

15.  attonitus  :  "  beside  myself." 

23.  Adonei :  Helm  reads  Aonii.  musici  vatis  Pipleii :  "the  musi- 
cal bard  of  I'inipla  "  ;  Orpheus  is  meant. 

31.  genialem  :  "luxuriant." 


112  NOTES  [Page  17 

Page  17.     11.   parvuloa  :  "gamins." 

18.  postliminiQ  mortis:  "after  death";  postllminio  as  adverbial 
ablative  in  the  sense  of  "after"  or  "again"  is  Apuleian  ;  cf.  note, 
p.  74,  1.  1. 

19.  pedesque  :  Greek  accusative  with  inductum;  "his  feet 
covered." 

20.  bazeis  :  rare  ante-  and  post-classical  word  for  a  kind  of  woven 
sandal  or  solea.  adusque :  adverb  modifying  deraso ;  "entirely 
shaved." 

25.  adyta  Coptica  :  the  shrine  of  Isis  at  Coptos. 

26.  arcana  Memphytica  :  "the  mysteries  of  Memphis."  sistra 
Phariaca  :  "  the  sistra  of  Pharos." 

32.    obversus  :  obversus  with  simple  accusative  is  Apuleian. 

Page  18.  1.  venerabilis  scaenae  facie .-  "  by  tlic  theatrical  im- 
pressiveness  of  the  act." 

5.  lapidem  :  the  accasative  with  insisto  in  place  of  the  dative  or  the 
ablative  is  poetic. 

6.  arbitrabar  :  "was  observing"  ;  ante- and  post-classical  meaning. 
salubris  vena  pulsari  :  "  the  pulse  of  life  began  to  beat  "  ;  for  the  pas- 
sive cf.  the  expression  venae  nioventur. 

9.   momentariae  :  post-classical  for  6rer  is. 

17.  adorat  :  archaic  for  alloquitur.  addictus  :  a  legal  term, 
"  bound  over  to,"  "given  over  to." 

18.  mancipavl  :  also  a  legal  term,  "  gave  into  the  hand." 

19.  praesentem  audaciam  :  "  ever  ready  audacity." 

20.  altercat  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for  aliercatur. 
24.    distinxit  :  "  ended  "  ;  in  this  sense  Apuleian. 

29.  exertam  :  cf.  note,  p.  12,  1.  16.  cantatricea  :  Apuleian  in  this 
sense.         exuviis  :  "  the  garb  of  flesh  which  I  had  cast  off." 

30.  reformatae  saepius :  "having  repeatedly  changed  their 
forms." 

Page  19.     1.    quam  dum  :  for  simple  quam. 

6.    ultroneua  :  ('(juivalciit  here  to  the  cla.ssical  ultro. 

9.    ut  .  .   .  convenirent  :  the  Helm  text  reads  convenisscnt. 

11.    examussim  :  modifies  acIpZicani;  "  lifted  perfectly  to  him. " 


Page  22]  THE    ROBBER'S   TALE  118 

IV.     THE   ROBBERS  TALE 

(Apuleiiis,  Metamorphoses,  IV,  9-21.) 

Page  20.  1.  accessimus :  the  following  story  is  narrated  by  a 
member  of  a  robber  band,  which  after  a  rather  unsucce.ssful  venture  in 
Boeotia  has  returned  and  joined  in  their  lair  the  band  which  had  cap- 
tured Lucius,  who  .stands  by  and  hears  the  following  account.  hep- 
tapylos  :  a  Greek  word  ;  "  of  the  .seven  gates." 
5.  munerum  publicorum  :  "public  games." 
8.    incubabat  :  the  accusative  with  the  verb  is  Apuleian. 

11.  Nee  mora,  cum:  "immediately";  a  favorite  expres.sion  with 
Apuleius. 

12.  praestolamur  :  with  the  dative  case  and  the  force  of  j)racsto  esse ; 
the  u.se  is  archaic. 

16.  clavi  immittendae  foramen  :  see  note,  p.  7,  1.  4. 

17.  gestiebat  :  note  how  in  Apuleius  the  meaning  of  this  verb  ap- 
proaches that  of  an  intensified  conabatur. 

19.  gradum  et  obnixum  silentium  :  note  the  collocation  of  the  ab- 
stract and  conci-ete,  in  the  style  of  Tacitus. 

22.    patibulatum  :  "crucified";  archaic. 

Page  21.  3.  confinio  :  a  favorite  word  with  Apuleius,  for  vicinitas. 
suppetiatum  :  .see  note,  p.  0,  1.  28. 

4.  opprimendi  nostri  :  "  of  being  caught  ourselves." 

5.  e  re  nata  :  prepositional  phrase  modifying  remedium  ;  '•  that  arose 
from  the  necessity,"  or  "  as  the  circumstances  required." 

8.    temperato  :  "  carefullj^  directed. " 

11.  religionis  .  .  .  tumultu :  "  perturbation  aroused  by  our  ob- 
ligation." 

18.  supervivere  :  rhetorical  question  in  indirect  discour.se  ;  hence 
infinitive. 

20.  spontale  :  post-classical  for  voluntarium. 

27.  minus  saevTim  adducere  :  "  to  draw  a  more  kindly  nod  from 
fortune"  ;  j/itnus,  the  reading  of  Bluemner,  for  the  meaningless  eum,  is 
adopted. 

Page  22.     5.    paupertinas  :  ante-  and  post-classical  ior  pauperes. 

8.    astu  :  sc.  (tnus. 

11.    certus  erroris  :  "  informed  of  his  mistake. " 


114  NOTES  [Page  22 

16:   attonitum  :   the  usual  meaning  of  the  word  is  "stunned."     It 
seems  here  to  have  the  meaning  of  "  absorbed." 
20.    imitus  :  post-classical  for /u?idttus. 

28.    fortunae  :  genitive  following  dignus,  a  poetic  construction. 
30.    multiiugi  :  cf.  totiugis,  p.  15,  1.  10. 

Page  23.  1.  perdita  securitate :  "beyond  hope  of  redemption"; 
the  construction  may  be  regarded  as  ablative  of  characteristic  or  possibly 
ablative  absolute.         suis  epulis  :  "  with  the  feast  they  furnished." 

2.  confixilis  machinae  sublicae  :  "  beams  that  formed  a  contrivance 
that  could  be  joined  together"  ;  confixilis  is  Apuleian.  turres  .  .  . 
ne^bus  :  "  towers  built  with  several  platforms." 

3.  ad  instar  circumforaneae  domus :  "like  a  movable  house." 
floridae  picturae  :  "  gayly  painted  "  ;  the  expression  is  best  disposed  of 
as  an  appositive  with  turres. 

4.  decora  .  .  .  receptacula  :  "  fitting  cages  to  contain  the  beasts  that 
were  to  appear  in  the  hunt." 

6.  forinsecus  :  literally,  "  from  without "  ;  seems  to  be  used  here  with 
the  force  of  peregre.  generosa  .  .  .  funera  :  "noble  tombs"  ;  that 
is,  the  beasts  who  were  to  devom-  the  criminals. 

9.  totis  utcumque  :  "with  practically  all."  Cf.  p.  26,  1.  24  and 
note.        immanis  ursae  :  "  of  huge  bears"  ;  generic  singular. 

20.  quos  :  constructio  ad  sensum. 

21.  ventri  :  dative  with  supplementa. 

23.  accurrunt :  the  classical  coustruction  requires  ad  or  in.  e  re 
nata  :  a  favorite  expression  with  Apuleius  ;  see  note,  p.  21,  1.  5. 

26.  cibo  :  dative.  The  more  common  classical  prose  construction  is, 
perhaps,  ad  and  the  accusative. 

31.  examurgatur  :  "  was  being  cured  "  ;  an  Apuleian  word. 

32.  instanti  .  .  .  sacramentum  :  "  make  the  following  solemn  agree- 
ment for  our  impending  campaign." 

Page  24.     6.    sollers  species  :"  the  cunning  device." 

8.  ancipitis  .  .  .  aleam  :  "  took  the  risk  of  playing  the  dangerous 
rOle." 

9.  habili  corio  :  iti  would  ordinai'ily  he  used  in  prose  unless  the  con- 
struction be  viewed  as  instrumental  ablative.  MoUitie  is  ablative  of  cause 
with  tractahili. 

10.  sarcimiue  :  an  Apuleian  word,  eciuivalent  to  sulura. 
16.    praestinatae  :  the  classical  word  is  emptae. 

19.    Sciscitati  :  "  having  learned  by  (juesUoning." 


Page  28]  THE   ROBBER'S   TALE  115 

20.  proditus  :  ordinaiily  thus  used  of  plants  ;  equivalent  to  ortus. 
27.    ut  ipse  habebat :  "  as  he  was  constituted,"  i.e.  ius  ho  was  natu- 
rally generous  ;  se  habere  is  the  more  common  idiom. 

29.  ad  repentinas  visiones  :  "  to  satisfy  immediately  their  eyes. " 

30.  mirabiuidi  bestiam  :  adjectives  in  -bundus  have  so  nearly  the 
force  of  present  participles  that  in  Apuleius  they  often  take  an  object. 

31.  satis  callenter  curiosos  aspectus :  "  very  cunningly  prying 
gaze." 

Page  25.  5.  fraglantia  :  this  is  the  usual  spelling  in  Apuleius,  both 
for  the  noun  and  all  forms  of  the  verb,  instead  otflagro. 

9.    contenninum  :  poetical  for  vicinum. 

11.  incubare  :  the  classical  construction  of  this,  the  literal  meaning 
of  tlie  verb,  requires  in  with  the  ablative  or  the  dative  ;  cf.  the  figurative 
use,  p.  20,  1.  8  and  note. 

22.  valefacto  :  ablative  absolute  with  siibject  unexpressed. 

30.  velut  expilationis  vadimonium  :  "  as  a  guaranty  of  our  pur- 
pose to  plunder  the  house." 

32.  examussim  :  "precisely";  archaic.  latrocinali  :  "suitable 
for  robbeiy . ' ' 

Page  26.     3.    clavl  subtracta  :  sc.  ianitori. 

6.  Quo  .  .  .  violentia  :  "  and  when  we  had  immediately  broken  this 
open  by  the  force  of  our  united  band." 

16.    visitata  :  ante-  and  post-classical  in  this  sense. 

21.  vel  divinitus  :  "  or  else  by  divine  will." 

23.  premens  obnixum  silentiiim  :  "  maintaining  strict  silence." 

24.  utcumque  cunctis  :  "to  all,  whoever  they  might  be"  ;  cf.  totis 
utcumque.,  p.  23,  1.  9  and  note. 

27.    sebaciis  :  sebacius,  "  a  tallow  candle,"  is  Apuleian. 

Page  27.     1.    retrogradi  :  from  the  nominative  retrogradis. 

7.  scaenam  :  "rdle." 

9.    schemis  :  "postures";  ante-classical. 
14.    agminatim  :  late  Latin  for  agmine. 
18.    turbelis  :  the  diminutive  is  colloquial. 
27.   factionis  :  "band." 

Page  28.     4.    vel  :  "  even." 

5.  ursae  :  dative  following  despoliavit ;  "  stript  him  of  the  bear." 
Though  the  construction  is  without  precedent,  it  seems  more  natural  than 
it  would  to  consider  ursae  as  appositional  genitive. 


116  NOTES  '  [Page  28 

7.  nobis  .  .  .  perivit,  etc.  :  "  lost  to  us  but  not  vanislied  from 
glory"  ;  cf.  PL  Cupt.  riS7,peristi  e p atria  tua. 

11.  nostra  :  i.e.  "  of  inau's. " 

12.  demigrarit :  that  is,  in  the  persons  of  Laniachus  and  Thrasyleon. 

V.    TRAGEDY  OF  TLEPOLEMUS  AND  CHARITE 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  YIII,  1-14.) 

Lucias,  in  the  form  of  an  ass,  stabled  near  by,  hears  the  following 
stoiy  told  by  one  of  the  servants  of  Charite. 

Page  29.     l.    fuit :  i.e.  "has  passed  away."' 

5.  in  historiae  specimen,  etc.  :  not  "in  the  guise  of  histoiy,"  as  it 
is  sometimes  taken,  but  •'  embody  in  writing  in  the  manner  of  formal 
narrative,"  as  contrasted  with  his  off-hand  account;  chartis  is  probably 
ablative  of  instrument. 

8.  quo  .  .  .  eo  :  equivalent  to  quanto  .  .  .  tanto,  the  idea  being  that 
his  wealth  corresponded  to  his  high  birth.  The  ablative  of  degree  of 
difference  is  used  in  classical  Latin  in  connection  with  the  comparative  of 
the  adjective  or  adverb.  luxuriae  popinalis  :  ijredicate  genitive  ; 
supply  fuit. 

14.  petitionis  eius  :  it  is  difficult  to  say  whether  eius  agrees  with 
petitionis  or  is  the  objective  genitive  following  it.  In  either  case  the 
meaning  is  "  of  courting  her." 

15.  id  genus  viris  :  "men  of  that  class";  i.e.  of  suitors.  The  ac- 
cusative is  adverbial. 

17.  morum  :  genitive  with  inprobatus. 

18.  erilis  puella  :  "our  young  mistress."  in  nianum  venerat  : 
convenire  is  more  common.     See  note,  p.  102,  1.  27. 

22.  praesentiae  suae  :  probably  dative ;  the  idea  is,  an  occasion 
.suitable  for  ])iH'sentiiig  himsflf. 

24.  praedonum  mucronibus  .  .  .  liberata  :  this  refers  to  Charite's 
rescue  from  the  robber  liaml,  an  adventure  previously  narrated  by 
Lucius. 

Page  30.  2.  salutique  praesenti  .  .  .  gaudibundus:  (hitive  case 
following  (jaudibundus,  a  peculiar  construction.  A  slight  zeugma  is  felt 
in  connection  witli  the  second  dative  suboli.  The  idea  is  that  of  con- 
gratulating them  on  their  present  safety  and  expivssiug  tlit;  hope  that 
the  union  would  be  Ijicsscd  witii  oiTsi)ring. 

4.    prosapiae  :   "of   his  (/.c.  Thrasyiius)  hi^h  biith." 


pagk  3.",]    tra(5p:dy  of  tlepolemus  and  ciiarite      117 

7.  conversatione  :  caro  should  be  taken  lo  give  the  proper  meaning 
to  this  word. 

16.  affectionis  firmissimum  vinculum  :  that  is,  between  Charite  and 
her  Imsband.     Note  the  post-Ciceronian  meaning  of  affectio. 

18.  furatrinae  coniugalia  .  .  .  rudimentum  :  "inexperience  in 
conjugal  deception. ' ' 

20.  contentiosa  pemicie  :  the  phrase  suggests  persistence  in  a  course 
that  would  result  disastmnsly. 

31.  venationis  indagini  generosae  :  indagini,  dative  of  purpose  ; 
"hue  bred  d(jgs  (and  trained)  to  nur  down  game."  mandato  .  .  .  in- 
vaderent :  the  subject  of  the  ablative  absolute  is  the  clause  of  which 
invaderent  is  the  verb. 

Page  31.     1.    partitae  :  i.e.  in  different  packs. 

11.  genis  :  i.e.  his  tusks. 

12.  qua  :  either  "  where  "  or  "  because  of  which." 

13.  alioquin  :  see  note,  p.  97,  1.  13. 

16.  fraudium  opportunum  decipulum  :  liteially,  "  an  opportune 
snare  of  treachery,"  i.e.  an  opportunity  to  ensnare  his  friend  treacher- 
ously. 

21.  indipiscimur  :  "begin,"  a  rare  meaning;  also  found  in  Aulus 
Gellius.     The  verb  is  ante-  and  post-classical  for  adipiscor. 

30.  amputat  :  "  cut  through  "  or  "  deep  into." 

Page  32.     2.    lacinias  :  see  note,  p.  2,  1.  12. 

3.  vel  suae  saevitiae  .  .  .  expleri  :  "  nor  when  he  saw  success 
smile  upon  his  cruel  purpose  was  he  content  with  the  great  danger  to 
which  his  companion  was  exposed."  The  force  of  the  preceding  negative 
is  carried  over  into  this  clause. 

5.    plagosa  :  "  covered  with  blows  "  ;  a  post-classical  meaning. 

8.  prosectu  :  dative  case. 

11.  familia  maesta  :  in  apposition  with  the  subject  of  concurrimus. 

12.  laetuB  ageret  :  note  idiom  ayere,  "to  behave"  ;  the  more  usual 
expression  is  ,se  ugere. 

27.    paenissime  :  "  veiy  nearly  "  ;  the  superlative  is  an  archaism. 
29.    funus  :  ecpiivalent  to  cadaver,  a  poetical  use. 

31.  nimium  nimius  :  a  forced  expression,  but  quite  characteristic  ; 
nimium  is  adverb,  nimius  adjective;  "  in  excess  beyond  measure." 

Page  33.  3.  nomine  lugubri  :  a  difficult  phrase  ;  perhaps  we  may 
give  lugubri  adverbial  force  and  say,  "adding  his  name  in  sorrowful 
tones." 


118  NOTES  [Page  33 

7.  studium  adhibere :  the  idea  is  that  he  made  his  zealous  services 
as  commiserating  friend  the  pretext  of  caressing  her. 

19.  confoveret :  this  forms  the  object  of  extorquet ;  "  prevailed  upon 
her  to  care  for. ' ' 

20.  parentum  :  genitive  following  reverens.  The  accusative  is  also 
used. 

26.  adfizo  servitio  :  this  would  seem  to  mean  "  with  devoted  ser- 
vice," rather  than  "  appointing  slaves,"  as  it  is  sometimes  understood. 

28.  alioquin  :  see  note,  p.  97,  1.  13.  de  ipso  nomine  :  Thrasyllus 
is  a  name  connected  with  a  Greek  adjective,  dpaais,  meaning  "  bold." 

32.    impudentiae  labe  :  "  with  disgraceful  shamelessness. " 

Page  34.  3.  procella  sideris:  "violent  wind  of  heaven"  ;  sideris 
suggests  the  violent  winds  that  attend  the  rising  or  setting  of  certain  con- 
stellations. The  word  may,  however,  suggest  the  baleful  influence  of 
some  constellation. 

4.  diali  :  see  note,  p.  97,  1.  12.  corruit :  unusual  transitive  use. 
This  seems  better  than  to  construe  corpus  as  Greek  accusative. 

7.  scaenam  :  "  the  deception." 

8.  ad  limam,  etc.  :  ' '  put  off  her  ardent  suitor  in  order  to  sharpen  her 
own  wits." 

12.  permarcet :  "fades"  ;  the  compound  does  not  occur  elsewhere. 
Pectori  is  to  be  construed  as  dative  of  reference,  though  it  may  possibly 
be  an  archaic  locative  not  found  elsewhere. 

14.    in  manum  convenias :  see  note,  p.  102,  1.  27. 

17.  parricidio  .  .  .  auspicari  :  the  technical  meaning  of  auspicari 
is  to  be  kept  in  mind  ;  the  idea  is  that  of  marriage  under  the  auspices  of 
murder. 

20.  scaenam  sceleris  :  the  phrase  means  not  so  much  the  tragedy  of 
the  crime  as  tlic  trickery  and  deception  in  which  the  crime  had  been 
veiled. 

25.  prolizum  :  adverb;  not  "greatly"  or  "violently,"  as  given  in 
Harper's  lexicon,  but  "  gave  utterance  to  a  prolonged  wail."  Cf.  Suet. 
Tit.  7,  2,  fovere  prolixius  =  "longer." 

Page  35.     2.    fratris:   tliat  is,  companion. 

5.  Boni  et  optimi  consules  :  "  take  it  in  good  part,  nay,  for  the 
best  "  ;  the  giaiitives  are  predicate  genitives. 

14.    simulanter  revicta  :  "  apparently  overcome." 

17.    clandestinos  coitus  obeamus  :  "  have  secret  meetings." 


Page  38]  EATEN    ALIVE  119 

19.  oppressuB  :  "caught." 

20.  prolixe  :  "  readily  "  or  "  eagerly." 

21.  uno  .  .  .  studio  :  dative  ;  note  archaic  form  uno.  The  construc- 
tion could  be  taken  as  an  ablative  of  cause. 

26.    Nee  setius  :  "  so  too." 

28.  scaena  feralium  nuptiarum  :  "  the  funeral  setting  of  his  mar- 
riage "  ;  feralium  suggests  both  the  darkness  and  mystery  of  the  arrange- 
ment and  the  fact  that  the  union  was  to  work  his  doom. 

29.  sequius  aliquid  :  "  anything  untoward. " 

32.    pronus  spei  :  much  stronger  than  our  "  inclined  to  hope." 

Page  36.     4.    quasi:  introducing  an  alleged  reason,  as  often  hi  Tacitus. 

13.  male  placui  :  "  it  was  my  ill  fate  to  please."  qui  .  .  .  aute- 
cedunt :  "  wliich,  as  it  were,  by  eagerly  awaiting  the  coming  darkness, 
anticipate  their  coming  doom."     Note  the  not  displeasing  conceit. 

14.  somniare  :  the  rare  deponent  use. 

20.    nuptlas  :  archaic  accusative  construction. 
24.    de  quo  queraris  :  "  of  whom  you  have  to  complain." 
26.    dlgnum   cruclatum  lucraris :   a  peculiar  expression,   "  gain  a 
profit  from  the  torture  you  deserve  "  ;  that  is  to  say,  by  not  suffering  at 
once  the  penalty  he  so  richly  deserves,  he  is  gaining  an  advantage. 

Page  37.  1.  orbitatem  :  "blindness";  cf.  the  similar  use  of  the 
adjective  orbus. 

5.  nescio  :  from  nescius,  in  the  rare  passive  sense.  The  source  of  the 
pain  is  unknown. 

8.  nescio  quod  scelus  gestiens  :  "  eagerly  intent  upon  some  awful 
deed." 

9.  monumentum  :  for  classical  ad  monurnentuin. 

16.  punita  sum  :  note  deponent  form  of  verb,  which  also  occurs  in 
Ciceronian  Latin. 

18.    isto  :  see  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 
29.    Ultronea  :  see  note,  p.  9,  1.  27. 


VI.   EATEN  ALIVE 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  VIII,  22.) 

Page  38.     3.    deverteramus  :  "had   put  up."     This  story  was  sug- 
gested to  Lucius  by  a  certain  locality  where  the  former  servants  of  Charite 


120  NOTES  [Page  38 

stopped  in  their  flight  to  rest.  famulitio  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for 
fnmilin. 

5.  Quo  dolore  paelicatus :  "Now  by  her  resentment  at  this  in- 
fidelity."      instricta  :  "incited.'" 

9.    infantulum  :  post-classical. 

13.    servulum  :  note  force  of  the  diminutive  "miserable  slave." 

15.    arbori  ficulneae  :  archaic  and  poetic  iov  fico. 

17.  nidificia  :  nklijicium  is  Apuleian  for  nidus.  borriebant : 
"swarm,"  Apuleian  for  the  prosaic  concurrebant. 

18.  scaturrigine  :  "gushing  stream";  the  word  occurs  in  other 
authors  usually  in  the  plural. 

23.  nitore  nimio  candentia  :  "gleaming  with  excessive  whiteness." 

24.  cohaererent  arbori  :  the  classical  prose  construction  is  prefera- 
bly cu)ii  and  the  ablative. 


VII.    THE   LOST   SLIPPERS 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  IX,  17-21.) 

Page  39.  l.  Barbarus  iste  :  this  Barbarus,  a  senator,  has  just  been 
mentioned,  and  Lucius  overhears  a  disreputable  old  woman  narrate  the 
following  tale  to  the  wife  of  a  baker,  Lucius'  present  master. 

4.    custodelam  :  ante-classical  and  vulgar  Latin  for  custodia. 

6.    defamem  :  defamis  is  Apuleian  for  infamis. 

8.    deierans  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for  iurans. 

13.    destrictam  :  "busy." 

25.  Bolitatem  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for  solituJlnem. 

Page  40.     2.    cupito  potiatur  :   "  compass  his  desires." 
6.    suadelis  :  suddcla  is  ante-  and  post-classical  for  suasio. 

12.  oculos  :  the  accusative  with  exirc  iu  the  sense  of  "  leave "  is 
Apuleian. 

13.  quam  procul  :  "  however  far." 

15.  salo  :  "curient."  The  word  is  also  used  by  Cicero  as  applied  to 
agitation  of  spirit. 

20.  Nee  saltern  :  the  emphatic  word  is  fretiuently  placed  between  nee 
and  sitUein;  see  note;,  p.  (i7,  1.  2i.  spatio  :  "by  space,"  that  is,  by 

Ijeing  ii\v;iy  ficjui  the  temptation. 

26.  auctorata  est:  a  legal  term  like  uddicere ;  hence  the  dative 
lacLaUo  ;  exccrdudo  has  adjectival  force. 


Page  45]  THE    FULLER'S    WIFE  121 

Page  41.     2.    Btrenuum  :  "persistent." 

15.  clave  .   .   .  subiecta  :  .see  note,  p.  7,1.  4. 

20.  cubiculo  :  for  e  cubiculo. 

22.  e  re  nata  :  "  as  was  natural  "  ;  cf .  note,  p.  21,  1.  5. 

23.  cordolio  :  ante-  and  po.st-classical  for  dolore  animi. 
30.    coram  noxae  :  the  genitive  with  coram  is  Apuleian. 

Page  42.     3.    enini :  with  its  intensive,  not  inferential,  force. 
7.    clementer  :  that  is,  he  was  apparently  beating  him  severely. 
9.    perduint  :  archaic  for  perdant. 

14.  postlimiiiio  :  adverb  ;  post-cla.ssical  for  rursus  or  denuu ;  cf.  note, 
p.  74,  1.  1. 

VIII.  THE    FULLER'S   WIFE 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses^  IX,  24-25.) 

The  baker,  Lucius'  present  owner,  narrates  to  his  wife  the  following 
experience  at  the  home  of  his  friend  the  fuller. 

Page  43.     l.    alioquin  :  see  note,  p.  97,  1.  13. 

5.  nostra  :  that  is,  of  himself  and  the  fuller,  who  had  unexpectedly 
arrived. 

6.  ilium  :  the  adulterum  mentioned  above.  subiectum  contegit : 
"  placed  him  beneath  and  ccjncealed  him.''' 

7.  quae  .  .  .  inalbabat :  "  which,  constrvicted  with  flexible  rounded 
twigs  in  the  form  of  a  rising  mound  and  tilled  with  the  white  fumes  of 
sulphur,  was  iised  to  bleach  the  garments  that  were  hung  around  it." 

12.    vivacis  metalli  :  "  of  the  pungent  mineral." 

16.  solito  sermone  :  he  probably  said  salve  ;  cf.  Petronius,  c.  98. 
imprecatus  :  this  word  is  usually  used  in  a  bad  sense  ;  not  so  here. 

21.  moriturum  :  he  was  already  half  suffocated. 

24.  suapte  :  supply  noxa,  i.e.  not  by  our,  but  because  of  his  own  guilt. 
The  alternative  is  to  make  it  agree  with  violentia  and  refer  to  the  oblique 
case  sulpur'is. 

Page  44.     3.    secederet :  object  of  persuasi. 

8.  cogitare  :  inliuilive  following  non  erat  dublus. 

IX.  THE   THREE   BROTHERS 

(Apuleius,  Metaiiwrplwses,  IX,  35-38.) 
Page  45.     l.    is  :   the  pronoun  refers  to  a  certain  householder  who, 
having  been  entertained  at  the  house  of  Lucius'  ma.ster,  returns  the  coar- 


122  NOTES  [Page  45 

tesy.  While  they  are  at  table  certain  prodigies  occur  which  give  warn- 
ing of  coming  disaster.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  slave  soon  ai-rives  and 
reports  the  matter  that  is  incorporated  in  the  following  tale. 
6.  pollens  factioni bus  :  "  strong  with  his  political  backing. " 
11.  gestiebat :  on  the  force  of  the  word,  see  note,  p.  20, 1.  17.  inani 
commota  quaestione :  "starting  litigation  for  which  there  was  no 
ground. ' ' 

13.  suo  saltern  sepulchro  :  "  if  only  to  serve  for  his  grave  "  ;  dative 
of  purpose.     All  but  the  land  had  been  taken  ;    that  he  resolved  to  keep. 

14.  ad  demonstrationem  finium  :  "to  bear  testimony  as  to  the 
boundaries." 

16.  quantulum  quantulum  :  "  such  little  as  they  could." 

19.  licet  non  rapinis  :  "  though  not  his  plundering." 

20.  volixit :  note  that  he  is  said  to  have  been  at  first  moderate  in  his 
language. 

Page  46.  3.  liberal!  legum  praesidio  :  "  by  the  generous  protection 
of  the  laws." 

6.   iste  :  see  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 

8.  suspend!  um  sese  .  .  .  mandare  proclamans :  "telling  all  of 
them  and  their  laws  to  go  hang." 

11.  esitare  :  ante-  and  post-classical  for  edo. 

12.  passivis  :  ante- and  post-classical  for  passmi.  lazari  :  the  in- 
finitive construction  following  praecipere  is  classical  but  not  so  common 
as  the  ui-coiLstruction. 

17.  comperciuit :  also  spelled  comparcunt.  nee  .  .  .  saltern  :  of. 
note,  p.  ()7,  1.  24. 

20.  offenso  lapide  atque  obtunsis  digit! s :  "stubbing  his  toes 
against  a  stone."  terrae  :  this  maybe  dative  of  direction,  but  more 
likely  a  locative  construction,  in  imitation  of  humi  prosterni. 

24.  accurrunt  suppetias  :  cf .  the  more  common  ire  or  venire  suppe- 
tias,  and  .similar  expressions. 

Page  47.  2.  velitantur  :  "attack  him  like  skirmishers"  ;  ante-  and 
post-classical. 

5.  Nee  :  the  negative  modifies  the  verb  concidit. 

6.  terrae  :  dative  of  direction. 

7.  nisuB  violentia  :  "  by  the  force  of  the  cast. " 

8.  rigore  librato  :  literally  "  its  stiffness  balanced  in  the  air." 

11.    per  .   .  .  transcurrens  :  that  is,  it  simply  grazed  his  finger  tips. 


Page  50]  THE   ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER  123 

14.  humanior  :  that  is,  than  the  spear  which  had  slain  his  brother. 

15.  speculam  :  the  diminutive  of  spes. 

26.    svii  moUiorem  :  "milder  than  himself."     The  genitive  with  the 
comparative  is  occasionally  found  in  early  and  late  Latin. 


X.    THE   ENAMORED   STEPMOTHER 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  X,  2-12.) 

Page  48.  l.  Dominus  aedium  :  Lucius  recalls  a  most  abominable 
crime  which  took  place  in  the  house  where  he  was  stabled,  and  narrates 
it  in  the  following  tale. 

3.   vel  :   "  even  "  or  "just." 

6.  adaeque  :  the  meaning  of  the  word  here  seems  to  be  "just"  or 
' '  about. ' ' 

16.  vulnuB  animi  .  .  .  valetudine  :  "falsely  attributed  her  heart's 
wound  to  bodily  illness."  The  expression  is  a  forced  one  and  probably 
was  suggested  by  the  constructions  mentiri  aliquid  and  mentiri  in 
aliqua  re. 

18.  cetera,  etc.:  "the  other  ravages,  that  is,  to  health  and  coun- 
tenance." 

19.  examussim  :  see  note,  p.  19,  1.  11. 

24.   colons  intemperantia  :  "  flushing  of  cheeks. " 

Page  49.     l.  utrimquesecua  :  instead  of  the  more  common  ittrimgue. 

6.   vocari  praecipit  :  see  note,  p.  46,  1.  12. 

10.   utcumque  debitum  :  "  in  a  certain  sense  due." 

14.  nutante  etiam  nunc  pudore  :  the  idea  is  that  she  still  possessed 
some  sense  of  shanie,  though  it  was  on  the  point  of  disappearing. 

15.  decunctatur  :  A  puleian  for  cunctoiur. 
21.  medela  :  post-classical  for  cura. 

32.  exasperandum  :  earn  is  to  be  supplied  as  object,  according  to  the 
archaic  construction  of  which  Lucretius  presents  several  examples. 

Page  50.  1.  prolixe  :  see  note,  p.  35,  1.  20. 
3.  impendio  :  "earnestly";  a  colloquialism. 
10.   vel  :  see  note,  p.  48,  1.  3. 

12.  maturatae  spei  vesania  :  "with  the  madness  of  a  hope  to  be 
fulfilled." 

20.  emancipato  :  figuratively,  "ready  for  any  crime." 


124  NOTES  [Page  50 

23.    praesentarium  :  ante-  and  post-classical  tor  prompturn. 
32.   terrae  :  see  note,  p.  46,  1.  20. 

Page  51.     2.    varie  quisqvie  :  "each  according  to  liLs  own  views." 
7.   in  vindictae  compendium  :  "  to  compass  her  vengeance. " 
12.    Et  hoc  .  .  .  mentiebatur :   the  preceding  expression,  privigni 
veneno,  changes  its  meaning  according  as  one  regards  privigni  as  sub- 
jective or  objective  genitive,  hence  the  present  remark. 

20.  incoram  :  Apuleian  for  coram.    For  genitive,  see  note,  p.  41,  1.  30. 

29.  in  exitium  :  the  verb  operor  in  classical  style  is  construed  with 
the  dative. 

30.  plenis  affectibus  :  ''with  all  the  force  of  his  will.'"  ilium  in- 
cestum,  etc.  :  the  indirect  discourse  depends  upon  a  verb  of  saying  sug- 
gested by  the  words  Jletu  and  precibus. 

Page  52.  2.  remoto  iudicandi  taedio  :  "without  the  tedium  of  a 
trial."     liemotis  is  to  be  supplied  with probaiiunibus  and  ambagibus. 

5.    vindicari  :  classical  prose  usage  would  recjuire  an  ut  construction. 

10.   utrimquesecus  :  see  note,  p.  40,  1.  1. 

16.  loca  residentibus  :  residentibus  from  resideo,  not  resido.  This 
accusative  outside  of  Apuleias  is  very  rare.  Cf.  meum  dorsum  residebat, 
Apul.  Met.  8,  17,  and  me  .  .  .  residens,  Met.  10,  18.  The  ordinary  con- 
struction is  in  with  the  ablative. 

18.  Martii  iudicii  :  "  of  the  court  of  the  Areopagus." 

19.  principia  dicere  :  "deliver  introductory  speeches";  the  usual 
construction  with  dcnuntio  in  this  sense  would  be  ne  and  the  subjunctive. 

21.  ad  istum  modum  :  see  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 

26.  ad  istas  litteras  :  "in  this  accoimt  to  you."  Simul  :  poetic  for 
simnl  <ir. 

30.    sisti  :  "  1)(' brought:  into  court." 

Page  53.  3.  quod  se  vocasset  :  "  lln'  fact  that  he  had  summoned 
him  "  ;  the  subjunctive  is  that  of  implied  indirect  discourse. 

7.  sua  manu  :  not  the  speaker's,  but  the  young  man's.  reddiderit  : 
sc.  Hibi  or  better  ?7).s?,  reforring  to  the  speaker. 

8.  reservatum  poculum  neclexisse  :  tliat  is,  had  not  administered 
tlic  f'up,  l)iil-  had  kept  il  in  evidence. 

9.  Bua  raanu  :  (lie  direct,  nse  df  ,s(/((.s'. 

10.  eximie  ac  nimis  .  .  .  imaginem  :  "skilfully  and  only  too  .strik- 
ingly like  the  truth." 

15.    ad  unum  aermonem  :  that  i.s,  to  the  one  word  rondcmno. 


Page  57]  THE   JEALOUS   WIFE  125 

17.  cum  rei  fortuna  transacto  :  "  the  culprit's  fate  being  sealed  once 
for  all";  trunsucto  is  ablative  abtiohite  without  substantive.  Rei  is 
probably  genitive  of  reus. 

20.  orificium  :  post-classical  for  os. 

21.  ad  ordinem  :  ordo  is  the  regular  word  for  the  provincial  senate. 

22.  Quod  aetatis  sum  :   "  all  my  life. " 
29'.  non  olim  :   "  not  long  ago." 

31.    veterno  :  the  word  suggests  the  loss  of  physical  and  mental  power. 

Page  54.     l.    blaterantem  :  blatero  is  colloquial. 
2.    causificantem  :  caustjicor  is  very  rare,  being  used  for  the  classical 
causor. 

10.  repraesentatus  :  "  produced  in  court"  ;  iudicio  is  dative. 

20.  afamias  :  A  pulei an  for  nii(/ as. 

26.  contrectatis  :   "examined." 
29.    tormentis  :  dative  of  purpose. 

Page  55.     3.    rei  praesentis  :  "of  the  point  at  is.sue." 
5.    sectae  :  the  word  is  also  used  by  Seneca  in  the  sense  of  a  school  of 
medicine. 

11.  mandragoram  :   "mandrake." 

12.  gravedinis  compertae  :  descriptive  genitive  ;  "of  tested  leth- 
argy-producing properties. " 

14.    in  eum  competit :  "  fit  his  case. " 

18.  quod  sive  :  "  but  whether. " 

21.  adorante  :  cf.  note,  p.  18,  1.  17. 

27.  postlimiiiio  mortis  :  see  note,  p.  17,  1.  18. 

Page  56.  3.  somni  :  that  is,  the  trance  into  which  he  had  cast  the 
boy. 

XI.     THE   JEALOUS   WIFE 

(Apuleius,  Metamoi-phoses,  X,  23-28.) 

Page  57.  l.  habuit:  "she  had."  The  subject  is  a  woman  con- 
demned to  be  thrown  to  the  beasts.  The  story  of  her  crime  is  narrated 
by  LucivLs. 

2.    eiusdem  iuvenis  :  that  is,  the  husband  just  mentioned. 

4.  sexus  sequioris  :  "of  the  inferior  sex"  ;  genitive  of  character- 
istic; seiyuiy;- is  post-classical.         protinus  quod  :  "as  soon  as." 


126  NOTES  [Page  57 

6.    praeventa  :  "  prevented  "  ;  the  word  agi-ees  with  ilia. 
10.    pro  natalibus  :  "in  accordance  with  her  birth  "  ;  natales  in  the 
plural,  meaning  "origin"  or  "birth,"  is  post-Augustan. 

13.  incurreret :  "  do  violence  to." 

14.  matris  .  .  .  dispensat :  "  scrupulously  carried  out  his  mother's 
wish  and  did  his  duty  by  liis  sister." 

16.  plebeiam  humanitatem  :  "ordinary  feeling."  facie  tenus  : 
"as  far  as  appearances  went." 

19.  receptaret :  "  received  "  ;  but  traderet,  below,  is  to  be  rendered 
"  would  betroth,"  as  indicated  by  the  word  mox. 

22.  plenaque  cum  sanctimonia  :  correlative  with  the  two  preceding 
adverbs. 

Page  58.     1.    bestiis  .  .  .  addicta  :  see  note,  p.  57,  1.  1. 

3.  succubam  :  "  supplanter. "     In  this  sense  swccu6a  is  Apuleian. 

8.  quod  :  note  quod-clauae  instead  of  the  classical  infinitive  construc- 
tion. 

12.  adstipularetur  :  "  to  cause  to  agi-ee  with  "  ;  adsiipuior  as  a  transi- 
tive verb  is  Apuleian. 

13.  mandatu  :  dative. 

19.  quod  res  erat :  "the  truth  of  the  matter."  quodque  :  note 
^uocZ-clause  instead  of  classical  infinitive  constrviction. 

20.  frustra  .  .  .  bulliret :  that  is,  that  there  was  no  cause  for  her 
jealovLsy ;  paelicatus  is  objective  genitive  following  indignatione. 

23.  maritus  :  "he  who  was  to  be  her  husband."  Generis  used  in 
the  same  anticipatoiy  sense  in  Latin. 

29.  medela:  for  classical  cura. 

31.  multarum  palmarum,  etc. :  note  the  figurative  language  taken 
from  the  military  sphere. 

Page  59.  6.  Proserpinae  Saluti  :  that  is,  death.  Saluti  is  in  appo- 
sition with  fruserphme. 

25.    Ad  istrum  moduzn  :  .see  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 

30.  proventuB  :   "the  issue." 

Page  60.  2.  saucius  :  tlie  word  is  also  u.sed  of  the  drowsiness  of  in- 
toxiciitinii. 

4.  mandate  :  the  substantive  of  this  ablative  absolute  is  the  clause 
of  wliicli  dejjosreret  is  the  verb. 

5.  elisuB :  "in  (convulsions."  BpectatissimuB  :  "most  worthy." 
Tiie  expression  is  probably  not  ircjiiicai.  The  narrator  seems  to  have 
forgotten,  in  the  pliysician's  terrible  plight,  his  previous  reputation. 


Pace  65]  TALE    OF   THE    TUB  127- 

10.  quia  :  ablative  case. 

12.  faciem  :  "  the  reality. " 

13.  blandicule  :  Apuleian.       proline  :  see  note,  p.  35,  1.  20. 
24.  toto  :  archaic  for  toti.     Cf.  uno,  note,  p.  35,  1.  21. 

Page  61.  2.  urgente  spiritu :  "by  the  diiiiculty  of  breathing." 
praesidis  :  ' '  governor's. ' ' 

6.  patefierent  :  note  omission  of  ut,  which  is  ordinarily  used  with 
efficio ;  cf.  note,  p.  2,  1.  12. 

13.   excetrae  venenatae  :  "  venomous  serpent." 


XII.  TALE  OF  THE   TUB 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  IX,  1-7.) 
Page  62.     See  Introduction,  xxxvii. 

XIII.  CUPID  AND  PSYCHE 

(Apuleius,  Metamorphoses,  IV,  28- VI,  24.) 

Page  65.     1.    civitate  :  for  urbe,  as  often. 

6.  Bufficienter  :  a  word  found  only  in  late  Latin  ;  satis  would  be  the 
classical  word. 

7.  denique  :  often  a  weak  inferential  "  then"  in  Apuleius. 

8.  studiosa  celebritate  :  "in  curious  throngs."  inaccessae  : 
poetic  ;  sinijularis  or  unicus  would  be  the  ordinary  word. 

9.  formonsitatis  :  archaic  spelling. 

10.  primore  digito  .  .  .  residente  :  "the  thumb  held  upright  with 
the  tip  of  the  finger  resting  thereon."  To  kiss  one's  hand  was  a  common 
mark  of  reverence  to  the  gods.  Why  the  particular  position  of  the 
thumb  and  finger  here  indicated  we  cannot  say. 

11.  ipsam  prorsuB  deam  :  "  the  very  goddess  in  person." 

13.    attiguaB  :  a  rare  and  late  word  ;  vicinus  is  the  ordinaiy  word. 

15.  iam  numinis  .  .  .  venia  :  ' '  now  ble.ssing  all  vsith  the  gift  of  her 
divine  presence."     The  coiLstrviction  is  ablative  absolute. 

16.  populi  :  the  poetic  use  of  populus  as  synonymous  with  homines. 
18.    pullulaase  :    the   rare  transitive   use  of   pullulare.      It  will  be 

remembered  that  the  real  Venus  was  fabled  to  have  sprung  from  the 
foam  of  the  sea. 


128  NOTES  [Page  65 

19.  immensum  :  adverbial  use  ;  tlie  more  usual  expression  is  in  im- 
mensum. 

20.  plusculum  :  "  quite  a  bit."' 

22.  altissimis  :  transferred  epithet. 

23.  saeculi  specimen:  "perfection  of  the  age."  As  we  say,  "the 
greatest  beauty  of  her  day." 

Page  66.     4.    supplicatur  :  impersonal  construction. 

5.  in  matutino  progressu  :  that  is,  as  she  came  forth  of  a  morning, 
fresh  and  beautiful. 

6.  absentis  :  the  idea  is,  though  no  Veiuis  was  there. 

12.  En  rerum  .  .  .  parens :  c.f.  Lucretius'  invocation  to  Venus, 
iJe  Eer  11171  Natura  I,  1  seq. 

13.  orbis  :  probably  po.ssessive. 

14.  partiario  :  construed  with  cum  jmella,  "  shared  with  a  mortal 
girl"  ;  partiarius  is  used  by  the  legal  writers.  honore  tractor  :  this 
seems  to  mean  "treated  or  handled  with,"  rather  than  "  dragged  in  the 
dust,"  as  rendered  by  Purser. 

15.  caelo  conditum  :  "with  heaven  as  its  home  "  ;  in  caelo  is  more 
common,  while  in  caelum  is  the  ordinary  expression. 

16.  Nimirum  .  .  .  sustinebo  :  "  I  am  forsooth  to  submit  to  the 
dubious  honor  of  a  vicarious  worship  by  sharing  the  offering  to  my 
divinity  with  another." 

18.    pastor  ille  :  Paris. 

20.  deabus  :  Juno  and  Minerva. 

21.  faxo  .  .  .  paeniteat :  "  I  warrant  she  will  repent"  ;  faxo  is  the 
archaic  form  so  common  in  Plautus. 

24.  disciplina  publica  :  "  public  morality." 

28.    genuina  licentia  :   "  by  reason  of  ingrained  wantonness." 

31.  perlata  .   .  .  fabula  :  "going  over  the  story." 

32.  Per  :   this  governs  foedcra. 

Page  67.  l.  deprecor  :  here  tli(!  inlensilieil  prccor ;  the  other  mean- 
ing is  "deprecate." 

2.  uredines  :  "stings." 

3.  sed  plenam  :  "full,  you  understand." 

4.  severiter  :  tiie  usual  wcu'd  is  sa-ere. 

5.  fraglantissimo  :  see  note,  p.  2.'),  1.  5. 

6.  extrenii  :   "  of  tin;  lowest  sort. "" 

7.  damnavit  :  "  condeunied  to  be  deprived  of";  the  genitives  are 
lho.se  of  tiie  penalty. 


Page  (i8]  CUPID   AND    I'SYCHE  129 

9.  pressule  :  tliis  adverb  and  tlie  adjective  prei^sulus  are  ApiUeian. 
I'rc.ssc  is  tlic  ('iassical  word. 

10.  reflui  litoris  :  a  bold  use  of  rejluus  to  express  the  idea  of  the 
shore  from  wliieli  the  waves  recede. 

11.  ecce  iam  prof undum  marls  :  "behold  at  length  the  deep  sea  !" 
i.e.  the  goddess  hatl  at  length  reached  the  deep  sea.  Profundum  may  be 
either  nominative  or  accusative. 

12.  sudo  resedit  vertice  :  "and  she  paused  upon  its  bright  sur- 
face." 

13.  marinum  obsequium  :  "the  obedience  of  the  sea, "  abstract  for 
the  concrete  "the  obedient  dieties  of  the  sea." 

14.  Portunus  :  the  god  of  harbors. 

15.  Salacia  :  goddess  of  the  salt  waves. 

19.    curru  :  dative.         biiuges  :  "in  pairs." 

21.  sua  sibi  :  see  note,  p.  2,  1.  1.  perspicua  :  conspicuus  is  more 
usual  in  this  sense. 

24.  regius  :  "prince."  In  classical  style  the  word  is  always  used 
with  a  noun.  nee  .  .  .  saltern:  equivalent  to  nee  .  .  .  quidem,oiten 
used  by  Apuleius  with  the  force  of  ne  .   .  .  quidem. 

27.  Olim  :  "  long  ago  "  ;  slightly  exaggerated  expre.ssion  for  iam. 

28.  diffamarant  :  elsewhere  the  word  has  a  bad  meaning.  populi  : 
use  of  plural  ot  po2)ulus  for  the  classical  homines.  For  singular,  of.  note, 
p.  65,  1.  10. 

30.  corporis :  poetic  construction  for  corpore ;  animi,  however,  is 
probably  locative. 

Page  68.  2.  irae  :  genitive  with  metuens ;  the  dative  would  mean 
' '  fearing  for. ' '  del  Milesii  .  .  .  oraculum  :  an  oracle  situated  at 
Didymi,  about  ten  miles  from  Miletus.  On  the  possible  significance  of 
the  words  dei  Milesii,  see  Introduction,  p.  xx,  note  2. 

5.  propter  Milesiae  conditorem  :  "on  account  of  the  writer  of  the 
story."  That  is,  because  he  wrote  in  Latin.  On  the  force  of  Milesia 
here,  see  Introduction,  p.  xx,  note  2. 

8.    mundo  :  "apparel." 

13.    lovis  :  archaic  nominative. 

15.  pigens  :  "with  regret"  ;  this  form  is  not  found  in  the  classical 
period. 

17.   maeretur  :  note  impersonal  passive  construction. 

19.  choragium  :  "  the  paraphernalia. "  Note  the  mingling  of  the  idea 
of  funeral  and  marriage  in  the  whole  passage. 

20.  marcescit :  "  grows  dim." 


130  NOTES  [Page  68 

21.  zygiae :  a  Greek  word  derived  from  (;vy6u,  "yoke."  Cf.  the 
Latin  Ju7io  jugalis.  Ludii  :  i.e.  Lydii  ;  moduli  is  understood.  Cf. 
modulus  Phrygius  and  modulus  Darius. 

23.  Sic  adfectae  :  "  thus  affected. " 

24.  luctu  :  dative  with  congruens. 

29.  vivum  funus :  funus  is  occasionally  used  in  poetic  style  for 
"corpse."     The  living  corpse  is,  of  course,  Psyche. 

Page  69.  5.  Quid  laceratis  .  .  .  lumina  :  Psyche  means  that  it  is 
torture  for  her  to  see  the  tears  in  her  parents'  eyes. 

9.  percussi  .  .  .  aentitis  :  the  Greek  idiom  for  the  Latin,  vos  per- 
cussos  sentitis. 

14.    scopulo  :  for  the  usual  in  scopulo. 

16.    exitio  :  dative  of  purpose. 

18.    pompae  :  dative  of  association,  a  poetic  construction. 

21.  quibus  praeluxerant :  "  with  which  they  had  lighted  her  on  her 
way." 

23.   domuitionem  :  archaic. 

27.  vibratis  .  .  .  sinu  :  "swaying  her  raiment  on  either  side  and 
filling  its  folds. ' ' 

29.    per  devexa  :  "  over  the  slopes. " 

Page  70.  3.  medio  meditullio  :  "in  the  very  centre";  meditul- 
lium,  an  archaism,  is  a  favorite  word  with  Apuleius.  Cicero  says  the 
force  of  tullius,  from  tellus,  had  long  been  lost ;  cf.  Cic.  Topica  36. 

6.  scies :  "you  may  know  "  ;  cf.  the  poetic  use  of  future  indicative 
with  imperative  force.  Subjunctive  of  the  second  person  indefinite  would 
be  the  ordinary  construction. 

9.  id  genus  pecudibus  :  ' '  herds  of  that  type, "  i.e.  wild  animals.  Id 
genus  refers  to  Ijestiis  luid  the  expression  is  tautological.  Purser's  expla- 
nation, "  herds  of  that  kind,  i.e.  of  the  type  of  wild  beasts,  as  wild  horses 
and  asses,"  seems  somewhat  forced.  ob  :  the  usual  construction  with 
occurrere  is  dative. 

12.  efferavit  argentum  :  a  strained  but  striking  way  of  saying  "  fash- 
ioned th(!  silver  into  the  forms  of  wild  beasts."  pavimentum  .  .  .  dis- 
criminantiir  :  "for  even  the  floors  are  marked  off  by  the  use  of  precious 
sti)M(;s  cut  into  .small  pieces  .so  a.s  to  represent  objects  of  various  sort. " 
'l']\(:  rcfci'cncc  is  of  course   to  the  commonly  used  ino.saic  work. 

16.    sine  pretio  pretiosae  :  note  the  alliteration. 

18.    suum  sibi  :  .see  note,  p.  2,  1.  L 


Page  72J  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  131 

19.  licet:  "although";  cf.  the  dassical  construction  of  nisi  with 
the  ablative  absolute. 

21.  ad  conversationem  humanam  :  "  for  his  sojourning  among 
men." 

24.  sese  facit :  "betakes  herself."  A  late  Latin  use;  the  simple 
verb  is  also  so  used.  In  addition  to  the  cases  referred  to  in  Purser's  note, 
the  Y>hrase  aquarn  facientes,  Pereyrinatio  Sanctae  Silvae,  37,  is  Interesting. 

26.  altrinsecus  :  "on  the  other  side  of";  this  prepositional  use  of 
the  wortl  is  only  met  with  in  Apvdeius.  horrea  .  .  .  perfecta  :  "loft- 
ily constructed  store  rooms.  ■■ ' 

30.  thensauruB  :  the  word  may  mean  either  "  treasure  "  or  "  treasure 
chamber. ' '     The  form  is  archaic  for  thesaurus. 

Page  71.     1.  corporis  sni:  poetic  genitive  instead  of  ablative  with  nuda. 

2.  prohinc  :  "accordingly." 

3.  cubiculo  :  poetic  dative  of  direction. 

5.  corporis  curatae  tibi  :  "for  you  when  you  have  cared  for  your 
person"  ;  cor2)orls  is  genitive  with  curatae,  an  extension  of  the  poetic 
genitive  construction  with  adjectives.  Purser  explains  otherwise,  citing 
the  words  interfectae  virginitatis  curant,  p.  71,  1.  28,  as  an  example  of 
the  genitive  case  with  euro ;  but  should  this  not  be  taken  as  descriptive 
genitive,  with  novam  nuptam,  "the  bride  who  had  lost  her  virginity," 
making  nuptam  the  object  of  curant,  and  taking  praestolantes  absolutely? 

9.  fatigationem  sm :  sui  equivalent  to  suam,  a  construction  con- 
stantly employed  by  Apuleius. 

10.  semirotundo  suggestu  :  this  would  be  a  semicircular  table. 
17.    quae  .   .  .  ipsa:  ■•  nor  was  this  seen  either." 

23.  aures  accedit :  for  the  usual  ad  aures.  pro  tanta  solitudine  : 
"seeing  that  she  was  absolutely  alone." 

24.  malo  :  the  ablative  with  the  comparative. 

28.   cubiculo  :    for  in  cubiculo.      interfectae   virginitatis  :   "  who 
had  lost  her  virginity"  ;  descriptive  genitive  ;  but  see  note,  p.  71,  1.  5. 
30.   natura  redditum  :  "  ordained  by  nature." 

Page  72.  6.  namque  praeter  oculos,  etc.  :  "for  he  is  perceived  by 
the  sense  of  touch  and  hearing,  but  not  by  that  of  sight."  The  manu- 
script reading  ius  nihil  sentiebatur,  makes  no  sense.  For  the  con- 
jectures, see  Purser's  note  on  the  passage.  The  text  given  is  quite  in 
Apuleian  style. 

10.  scopulum  istum  :  cf.  similar  construction  with  accedo,  p.  35, 
1.  71,  note.     Istum  is  probably  equivalent  to   hunc,  aa  it  certainly  is  in 


132  NOTES  [Page  72 

the  common  Apuleian  phrase  ad  istum  modum  (cf.  p.  91,  1.  11),  and  in 
other  expressions.  This  is  interesting  as  indicating  the  beginning  of  a 
practice  which  resulted  in  the  entire  disappearance  of  hie  in  popular 
speech  and  the  employment  of  isle  instead,  as  the  testimony  of  the 
Romance  Languages  proves. 

11.  neque  :  for  the  more  usual  neve. 

12.  ceterum  :  in  place  of  alioquin;  a  frequent  use  in  Apuleius. 

21.  nee  mora,  cum  :  .see  note,  p.  20,  1.  11. 

22.  lectum  accubans  :  Apuleius  frequently  uses  the  accusative  with 
accubare. 

25.  perdia  et  pernox  :  equivalent  to  noctu  atque  interdlu;  perdius  is 
post-classical  and  pernox  is  poetical. 

26.  desinis  cruciatum  :  cruciatu  would  be  the  cla.ssical  construction. 

29.  dum  .  .  .  comminatur  :  this  use  of  dum  is  well  rendered  in 
English  by  the  participial  construction  "  threatening." 

30.  adnuat :  this  verb  follows  extorquet  without  ut ;  the  introduction 
of  ut  before  videat  would  indicate  that  this  clause  depends  directly  upon 
cupitis.     Note  the  striking  rhythm  of  the  sentence. 

31.  ora  conferat :  "hold  converse  with  them  "  ;  ora  is  equivalent  to 
the  usual  sennones. 

Page  73.  2.  suasa  :  suadere  is  commonly  con.strued  with  the  dative 
of  the  person.  Apuleius  frequently  uses  the  accusative,  hence  the  per- 
sonal passive  con-struction  here. 

4.    pessum  :  this  adverb  is  common  in  Plautus  and  late  Latin. 

8.  efflictim  :  Purser  remarks,  "the  only  difficulty  in  this  pa.ssage  is 
effikti7n  used  with  the  weaker  verb  dil'ujo.''  He  cites,  however,  an  ex- 
ample of  this  use  from  Symmachus.  But  it  is  possible  and  quite  in 
accord  with  Apuleian  style  to  construe  thus  :  "  for  I  love  you  even  to 
distraction,  whoever  you  are  ;  I  value  you  as  my  life,  nor  would  I  com- 
pare you  to  Cupid."  As  Psyche  little  dreams  that  she  is  speaking  to 
Cupid,  Purser  calls  attention  to  the  "  injiiy  "  of  the  passage. 

12.  imprimens  :  note  the  effect  of  the  repetition  of  the  syllable  in  of 
the  words  iinpriinens,  ingerens,  inserens ;  in  fact,  the  whole  structure  of 
the  stnitciicc  is  rhythmically  .striking. 

15.    BUBurruB  :  genitive.         succubuit :  u.sed  aUsolutely. 

21.    parilem  :  poetic  for  ^>«rem. 

25.  effligitia  :  this  rather  rare  verb  is  imifh  stronger  than  the  more 
common  ujjlujere.     For  adverb,  cf.  p.  73,  1.  8. 

26.  voces  :  for  construction,  .see  note,  p.  72,  1.  20. 
30.   nee  mora  cum  :  .see  note,  p.  2U,  1.  11. 


Page  75]  '  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  133 

32.  sese  perfruuntur  :  the  archaic  construction  of  the  accusative  with 
frui;  the  phrase  is  interesting,  as  it  is  used  in  connection  with  the  abla- 
tive of  means  saviis. 

Page  74.  1.  postliminio  :  "back  again,"  a  meaning  confined  to 
Apuleius  ;  wlien  followed  by  genitive,  as  on  p.  17,  1.  18,  it  means  "back 
again  from."  In  classical  times  posiizminmm  was  a  legal  term  meaning 
the  right  of  return  to  one's  native  country  with  all  civil  rights.  pro- 
lectante  gaudio  :  " led  by  the  allurement  of  joy." 

6.   inhumanae  :  "supernatural"  ;  only  so  used  in  Apuleius. 

13.  e  re  nata  :  see  note,  p.  21,  1.  5. 

14.  commodum  :  "just." 

15.  barbitio  :  only  found  in  Apuleius  ;  the  classical  word  is  barba. 

16.  ne  qua  .  .  .  labe  :  "lest  by  any  .slip  as  the  conversation  con- 
tinued." 

17.  consilium  taciturn:  "the  secret."  auro  facto:  "golden 
gifts." 

21.  fraglantes  :  on  the  form,  see  note,  p.  25,  1.  5. 

22.  perstrepebant :  that  is,  the  discourse  was  long  and  loud. 

23.  orba  :  sc.  oculis. 

24.  utroque  parents  prognatae  :   "  born  of  the  same  parents." 

27.  degamus  :  "are  we  to  pass  our  days?"  This  .subjunctive,  as 
well  as  potita  sit,  expresses  the  indignation  of  the  speaker.  longe  pa- 
rentum  :  "far  from  our  parents"  ;  a  Graecism  ;  procul  ab  is  the  ordi- 
nary prose  idiom. 

28.  quam  .  .  .  effudit :  "to  whom  our  mother,  already  weary  with 
the  bearing  of  children,  gave  birth  as  her  last  offspring." 

31.  iacent :  the  indicative  in  an  indirect  question  ;  a  colloquialism 
often  occurring  in  Plautus  and  Terence.  splendicant :  splendicare  is 
Apuleian  for  splendere. 

Page  75.  5.  deam  spirat :  "  aspires  to  be  a  goddess  "  ;  dea7n  is  cog- 
nate accusative. 

8.  pusilUorem  :  "more  puny"  ;  she  means  that  he  is  an  unsatisfac- 
tory bed-fellow.     Note  the  alliteration  which  indicates  her  contempt. 

10.  articulari  .   .  .  morbo  :  "  rheumatism  "  or  "  gout. " 

11.  venerem  meam  recolentem  :  "satisfying  my  amorous  moods." 
15.    istas ;   she  shows  her  hands  as  she  pronounces  this  word.     Cf. 

note,  p.  72,1.  10.  uxoris  .  .  .  sustinens  :  "  not  appearing  as  a  duti- 
ful wife,  but  playing  the  r61e  of  an  overworked  nurse  "  ;  offi,ciosam  and 
laboriosam  are  transferred  epithets. 


134  NOTES  [Page  75 

17.  videris  :  future  perfect.  It  may  be  rendered  "it  is  for  you  to 
consider  "  ;  video  is  tlie  only  verb  so  used  in  classical  prose. 

26.  pessum :  cf .  note,  p.  73,  1.  4. 

27.  inacuit :  from  inacesco  "to  become  bitter";  inacuit  therefore 
means  "  is  bitter." 

29.  ac  nee  :  the  use  of  ac  gives  nee  an  intensive  force,  "and  not  in- 
deed." 

31.  nediim  :   "much  less." 

32.  beatum  .  .  .  praeconium  :  "spread  the  news  of  her  good  for- 
tune." 

Page  76.  4.  sed  plane  :  on  the  force  of  sed,  cf.  note,  p.  67,  1.  3. 
diuque  .  .  .  instructae  :  "  and  having  equipped  ourselves  with  long  and 
carefully  considered  plans"  ;  strictly,  diu  modifies  instructae,  which  has 
middle  force. 

8.  comam  trahentes  :  Purser  remarks  that  the  usual  word  is  scindere. 
But  the  phrase  must  surely  mean  "trailing  their  locks." 

10.  ac  sic  .  .  .  deterrentes  :  "and  thus  quickly  frightening  their 
parents  too  with  this  fresh  bm-st  of  grief." 

17.  longe  :  that  is,  eminus. 

18.  lupulae  :  ' '  wretches ' '  ;  the  word  lupa  is  common  in  the  sense  of 
abandoned  woman. 

19.  te  8uadeant :  cf.  note,  p.  73,  1.  2.  ezplorare  :  the  poetical 
construction  of  the  infinitive  with  suadere. 

20.  non  videbis  si  videris  :  "you  will  not  see  if  but  once  you  see  "  ; 
the  expression  is  purposely  mystical  ;  he  means  that  he  will  disappear 
forever  if  she  gets  but  a  glimpse  of  him. 

24.    pro:  "in  virtue  of." 

31.  plaudebat :  "was  exulting."  Note  the  assonance  of  the  four 
imperfect  endings. 

Page  77.  3.  momentarius  :  "who  stays  but  a  short  time."  Else- 
where in  Apuleius  the  word  has  the  meaning  of  "instantaneous"  ;  cf. 
p.  59,  1.  2. 

4.  sexuB  infeatus  et  sangms  inimicus:  "your  sisters  hostile  and 
your  kill  tiiriu'd  foe." 

6.   classicum  :  the  accusative  is  cognate. 

10.  istum  :  see  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 

11.  nee  .  .  .  vel  .  .    .  vel  :  for  the  ordinary  nete  .  .  .   neve. 

14.  Bcopulo  prominentes  :  "  perched  on  a  jutting  crag." 

15.  singultu  .  .  .  incertans  :"  her  words  broken  with  tearful  sobs." 


Page  79]  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  136 

16.  quod  sciam  :  "I  imagine";  literally,  "as  far  as  I  know." 
fidei  .  .  .  perpendisti :  "  you  have  weighed  the  proofs  of  my  fidelity 
and  discretion"  ;  literally,  "for  my  fidelity"  ;  the  dative  is  that  of 
reference. 

24.  germani  complexus  .  .  .  fructum  :  "the  enjoyment  of  my  sis- 
ters' embraces." 

32.  iugum  .  .  .  factionis  :  "the  pair  of  sisters  who  concocted  the 
plot"  ;  the  genitive  is  that  of  description.  The  compound  conspondere 
is  very  rare. 

Page  78.  3.  licentiosa  :  a  post-Augustan  word  used  with  the  force 
of  immoderatus. 

6.  incunctatae  :  in  is  the  negative  particle.  The  word  is  found  only 
here.  conferto  vestigio  :  the  expression  means  little  more  than  "  to- 
gether." One  naturally  thinks  of  the  idiom  gradum  conferre,  and  prob- 
ably Apuleius  used  the  word  confertus,  strange  in  this  connection,  pur- 
posely. 

7.  nomine  mentientes  :  "lying  in  respect  to  the  name."  Purser 
adopts  the  conjecture,  sororis  nomen  ementientes.  The  reading  as  given 
appeals  to  us,  however,  as  Apuleian  in  tone. 

8.  thensaurumque  .  .  .  fraudis  :  ' '  the  gxiile  stored  deep  and  treas- 
ured in  their  hearts."     For  the  form  thensaurus,  cf.  note,  p.  70,  1.  30. 

9.  adulant :  the  classical  word  is  deponent.  ut  pridem  :  "  as  a 
short  time  before." 

10.  et  ipsa  :  equivalent  as  frequently  to  ipsa  etiam. 

11.  perula  :  affectionately  used  for  uterus  intumescens. 

12.  aurei  :  on  the  force  of  this  word,  cf.  Introduction,  p.  xii. 

13.  laetabunt  :  the  classical  word  is  deponent. 

14.  prorsus  Cupido  :  "  a  veritable  Cupid  "  ;  another  case  of  dramatic 
irony  ;  cf.  p.  70,  1.  8,  and  note. 

18.  tuccetis  :  tuccetum  was  a  rich  sausage  or,  rather,  meat  pudding. 

19.  agere  :  "to  play"  ;  cf.  the  idiom  partes  agere,  "to  play  a  role." 

24.  sermonem  conferentes  :  "  guiding  the  talk. " 

25.  tinde  natalium  :  Piirser's  note  is  confusing.  He  remarks  that 
classical  Latin  used  the  ablative.  Unde  of  course  replaces  the  ablative. 
Natalium  is  partitive,  as  he  correctly  states. 

26.  secta  cuia  :  "of  what  calling"  ;  literally,  "of  whose  calling." 

27.  pristini  sermonis  ;  cf.  what  she  had  said,  p.  74,  1.  14  seq. 

Page  79.  1.  Bublimatae :  sublimes  sublatae  would  be  the  classical 
expression. 


136  NOTES  [Page  79 

2.  altercantes  :  the  word  is  probably  used  because  of  the  doubt  aris- 
ing in  tlieir  minds  as  to  tlie  true  state  of  affairs.  Note  that  the  principal 
verb  "said  "  is  omitted  in  the  sentence. 

9.  utnun :  "whichever."  The  indefinite  use  of  this  word  is  occa- 
sionally met  with  in  classical  Latin.     The  ordinary  word  is  utrumcumque. 

11.  nobis  :  ethical  dative. 

12.  puelli  :  the  diminutive,  puellus,  is  archaic.  mater  audierit : 
"shall  have  the  fame  of  being  mother."  Cf.  the  colloquial  expression, 
male  or  bene  audire,  in  classical  Latin. 

14.  quam  concolores  :  "  quite  harmonious. "  The  use  of  guam  with 
the  positive  of  the  adjective  is  rather  rare  in  classical  style,  though  not 
uncommon  in  Apuleius.  Its  use  with  positive  adverbs  is  a  common  collo- 
quialism. 

16.  fastidi enter  :  the  classical  word  is  fastidlose. 

17.  matutino  :  late  Latin  for  mane. 

19.  astu  :  the  Ciceronian  word  is  astutia. 
22.    rebus  tuis  :  dative  of  interest. 

26.    sanguinantem  :  the  poetic  use  of  neuter  verb  as  transitive. 

28.  sortis  Pythicae  :  "Apollo's  oracle."  Fytho  was  the  ancient 
name  of  Delphi,  Apollo's  most  celebrated  shrine.  As  the  oracle  was  given 
near  Miletus  (see  note,  p.  68,  1.  5),  the  adjective  is  loosely  used. 

30.    circumsecus  :  cf.  note,  p.  12,  1.  7. 

Page  80.  1.  blandis  alimoniarum  obsequiis  :  "by  serving  you 
with  dainties  "  ;  ^ZtouZis  is  a  transferred  epithet.    ^it»io?iia  is  an  archaism. 

11.  misella  .  .  .  tenella  :  the  partiality  of  Apuleius  for  the  diminu- 
tive form  of  the  adjective  is  noticeable. 

16.  tertiata  substrepens  :  "stammering  and  uttering  her  words  in  a 
low,  half -audible  voice."  Tertiata  literally  means  that  each  word  was 
uttered  three  times.  Purser's  stand  that  the  expression  does  not  mean 
stanunering  does  not  seem  well  taken. 

20.  cuiatis  :  for  the  classical  cuias,  an  archaism.  The  accent  cuids 
is  a  reminisciMu^e  of  the  earlier  form. 

21.  subaudiens  :   "giving  dutiful  obedience  to." 

30.  tectae  machinae  :  there  is  a  play  ujjou  the  meaning  of  machinae, 
"secret  machination  "  and  "  mantlet."  The  whole  sentence  bri.stles  with 
military  terms. 

Page  81.  4.  praeacutam  :"  very  sharp  "  rather  than  "  sharp  edged. " 
adpulsu  .   .   .  exasperatam  :  "an  edge  put   on  by   the  stroke  of  the 


Page  82]  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  137 

smoothing  palm."  She  is  to  rub  the  blade  over  the  palm  to  put,  as  it 
were,  the  tiuishiug  touch  of  keenness. 

6.  concimiem  :  "delicate  little  lamp."  The  size  is  probably  the 
important  idea.     The  classical  form  is  concinnus. 

8.  avilulae  :  the  diminutive  form  of  olla,  "pot,"  the  archaic  form  of 
whicli  was  aula.     (Hilda  also  occuivs. 

12.  pensilem  .  .  .  minuena  :  literally,  "  diminishing  little  by  little 
your  suspended  step. ' '  That  is,  walking  on  tiptoe  and  more  slowly  the 
nearer  she  approaches. 

15.  quam  valido  :  see  note,  p.  79,  1.  14.  The  rhythm  of  this  long 
sentence  is  striking.  It  will  be  felt  by  reading  with  a  slight  pause  after 
each  clause. 

21.  viscera  :  "heart."  The  word  is  also  used  by  the  poets  with  the 
meaning  "  flesh." 

26.  nisi  .  .  .  non  est:  "except  that  harried  by  baleful  furies  she 
cannot  be  said  to  be  alone." 

27.  aestu  .  .  .  fluctuat :  "  her  grief  surges  like  the  tide  of  the  sea  "  ; 
aestu,  dative  ;  maerendo,  ablative  of  manner  with  the  same  force  as  that 
of  a  present  participle  ;  simile,  adverbial. 

Page  82.  6.  sezum  audacia  mutatur :  "  and  becomes  a  man  in 
boldness."  Sexum  is  probably  the  direct  object  of  mutatur  used  with 
middle  force,  though  in  the  phrase  mentem  capitur,  p.  100,  1.  18,  we  are 
forced  to  take  mentem  as  the  Greek  accusative,  and  this  may  also  be  the 
construction  of  sexum  in  the  present  passage. 

10.  hilaratum  :  the  flame  is  conceived  as  rendered  joyous  by  the  sight. 
acuminis  sacrilegi  :  genitive  of  description. 

11.  praenitebat :  "  gleamed  forth."  Purser  adopts  the  conjecture  of 
Lipsius,  paenitebat,  and  renders  "  and  the  razor  felt  a  pang  of  son-ow  for 
its  wicked  edge." 

12.  impos  animi  :  "distracted";  cf.  the  legal  term  non  compos 
mentis. 

13.  desedit  in  imos  poplites  :  that  is,  she  sank  down  with  her  knees 
doubled  under  her. 

17.  salute  defecta  :  "  in  utter  despair. "  Z>e/ec<a  is  nominative  case 
of  the  participle,  "abandoned  by  safety,"  not  the  ablative  absolute,  which 
would  indeed  be  a  strange  expression,  as  Purser  objects.  I  cannot,  how- 
ever, follow  him  in  the  interpretation  "overcome  by  the  sense  of  being 
safe, "  which  seems  forced  and  out  of  harmony  with  the  rest  of  the  passage. 

19.    geuialem  :  "  gladsome  "  ;  his  locks  were  a  delight  and  joy  to  see. 


138  NOTES  [Page  82 

ambrosia  temulentam  :  "steeped  in  divine  perfume  "  ;  avihrosla  means 
unguent  of  the  gods  as  well  as  food  of  the  gods.  cervices  .  .  .  im- 
peditos  :  "  the  prettily  tangled  locks,  sweeping  the  snow-white  neck  and 
rosy  cheeks"  ;  cervices  is  governed  hj pererrantes. 

21.    antependulos  :  a  word  found  only  here. 

23.  pinnae  .  .  .  candicant :  "the  dewy  pinions  are  as  bright  as 
gleaming  blossoms." 

26.  inqtiieta  lasciviunt :  "  play  restlessly. "  /n^wie^a,  poetic  adver- 
bial use  of  neuter  plural  of  the  adjective. 

30.  satis  et :  poetic  post  position  of  the  conjunction. 

31.  puncto  pollicis  :  "  with  the  end  of  her  thumb." 

32.  periclitabimda  :  this  adjective  has  so  much  the  force  of  a  present 
participle  that  it  is  construed  with  a  direct  object.     Cf.  note,  p.  24,  1.  30. 

Page  83.  1.  articuli :  "  finger,"  that  is,  thumb  ;  a  somewhat  poetic 
use  of  the  word. 

2.    roraverint :  "  stood  out  like  dew\ " 

4.    prona  .  .   .  inhians  :  "  bending  over  him  with  distracted  gaze. " 

6.  de  Bomni  mensura :  that  is,  she  was  afraid  that  he  might  soon 
awaken. 

9.   et  ipsa  :  "it  too." 

13.    cupitis  :  "his  heart's  desires." 

15.  visaque  .  .  .  colluvie  :  "  seeing  the  ruin  of  his  trust  betrayed. " 
detectae,  literally,  "disclosed,"  with  a  slight  play  upon  the  two  meanings. 

18.  sublimis  .  .  .  consequia  :  "  trailing  pitifully  after  him  in  his 
lofty  flight  and  following  him  for  the  last  time  as  she  hmig  upon  him, 
accompanying  him  through  the  realm  of  clouds"  ;  an  almost  repellently 
artificial  passage.  Consequia  is  an  adjective  used  substantively  and 
comitatus  genitive  depending  thereon. 

25.  hominis  :  modifies  cupidine,  but  is  also  felt  with  matrimonio. 

26.  addici :  "be  assigned  to,"  a  legal  term. 

30.  istoB  .  .  .  oculos  :  "these  eyes  that  loved  you  "  ;  cf.  note,  p.  72, 
1.10. 

31.  semper  cavenda  :  that  is,  she  was  ever  to  be  on  her  guard 
agaiii.st  doing  just,  what  she  had  done,  prying  into  Ids  identity. 

32.  remonebam  :  the  word  does  not  seem  to  occur  elsewhere. 

Page  84.  l.  magisterii :  "instruction,"  which  they  had  given 
Psyche. 

2.  punlvero  :  if  this  differs  at  all  from  the  simple  future  it  emphasizes 
ilie  iiuniudiate  act. 


Page  85]  CUriD    AND   PSYCHE  139 

4.  quantum  visi  poterat :  "  as  far  as  her  eyes  could  see"  ;  visi  is 
probably  impersonal. 

7.  proceritas  spatii  :  proceritns  emphasizes  the  height  of  his  flight  as 
well  as  the  length.       fecerat  alienum  :  "  had  taken  him  from  her." 

12.  Bupercilium  amnis  :  "  brow  of  the  river,"  means  bank  of  the 
river.       Echo  :  accusative  case. 

13.  voculas  omnimodas  :  "soft  notes  of  every  kind."  Note  the 
force  of  the  diminutive.     The  adjective  omnimodus  is  po.st-classical. 

14.  comam  fluvii  :  this  means  the  grass  growing  on  the  bank  of  the 
river  ;  of.  the  common  poetic  use  of  coma  to  indicate  foliage. 

15.  aauciam  :  the  word  is  often  used  to  express  the  woes  of  love. 
utcumque  :  "  somehow  or  other,"  an  adverb  modifying  non  inscius. 

17.  Puella  Bcitula  :  "  pretty  little  girl  "  ;  both  scitus  and  scitulus  in 
the  sense  of  pretty  are  ante-  and  post-classical. 

21.  autumant :  "af3firm";  the  word  is  chiefly  ante-classical  or 
poetic. 

27.  utpote  .  .  .  luxuriosum  :  "since  he  is  a  youth  given  to  self- 
indulgence  and  pleasure."  blandis  obsequiis  promere  :  "  win  him 
over  by  loving  service." 

31.  aliquam  multum  viae:  "quite  a  distance";  viae  is  partitive 
genitive  with  multinn,  and  aliquam  is  adverb.  The  idiom  aliquam 
multus  is  found  elsewhere  in  Apuleius.  In  Apol.  4,  aliquam  multum  a 
me  remota  est,  it  is  adverbial.  In  Apol.  72,  aliquam  multis  diebus  de- 
cumbo,  we  have  the  adjective  use. 

32.  inscio  :  "unknown"  ;  elsewhere  inscius  has  the  active  meaning. 

Page  85.     13.    percita  :  "amazed."      turbata  :  "troubled." 
14.   fruendi  laborarem  inopia  :  "I  was  distressed  at  not  being  able 
to  enjoy  it."     The  classical  construction  is  dum  laboro. 

16.  quo  dolore  :  "  by  the  pain  of  which  "  ;  the  ordinary  idiom. 

18.  divorte  :  "  be  divorced "  ;  the  technical  term;  cf.  divortium. 
tibique  .  .  .  habeto  :  the  regular  phrase  used  in  announcing  {renun- 
tiatio)  a  divorce. 

19.  quo  tu  censeris  :  "by  which  you  are  called";  literally,  by 
which  you  are  enrolled. 

20.  confarreatis  nuptiis  :  referring  to  the  confarriatio  or  formal 
ceremony  by  which  originally  patricians  were  united  in  marriage.  Even 
in  strictly  classical  times  this  form  had  been  largely  supenseded  by  the 
form  known  as  usus. 

22.  efflaret  :  principal  clause  imperative  in  indirect  discourse  ;  the 
omission  of  the  ut  is  common  in  Apuleius. 


140  NOTES  [Page  85 

27.  caeca  spe  inhians  :  "yet  eager  with  groundless  hope  "  ;  the  ab- 
lative is  one  of  cause.  The  natural  expression  would  be  caecae  spei 
dative. 

31.  nee  .  .  .  vel  saltern:  vel  intensifies  saltern;  literally,  "not 
even  at  least." 

Page  86.  2.  alitibus  .  .  .  ferens :  "providing  a  ready  prey  for 
beasts  and  birds  *'  ;  the  dative  follows  obvium. 

6.  genuanitatis  :  abstract  for  concrete  germanae.  in  sororis  .  .  . 
festinavit :  the  claase  in  nuptias  is  governed  by  festinacit,  but  may  also 
be  fflt  with  aemula. 

7.  mortis  exitium  :  "  doom  of  death. " 

9.  quaesitioni  :  Plautus  uses  quaestio  in  this  sense.  In  classical 
Latin  the  latter  word  is  usually  used  in  its  technical  sense. 

12.    gavia  :  "sea-mew." 

14.  Venerem  .  .  .  propter  assistens  :  as  Apuleius  does  use  the 
accusative  after  assistere,  it  is  difficult  to  decide  whether  propter  is 
preposition  or  adverb.    The  imagination  may  play  between  the  possibilities. 

16.    dubium  salutis  :  poetic  genitive  with  adjective. 

18.  male  audire  :  consult  note,  p.  79,  1.  12.  Quod  ille,  etc.  :  with 
these  words  the  construction  pa.s.ses  from  indirect  to  direct  discourse. 

21.  non  nuptiae  .  .  .  fastidimn  :  "  there  are  no  marriage  bonds  nor 
social  ties,  no  love  for  children,  but  filth  unbounded  and  disgustingly 
repellent  unions  of  low  degree  "  ;  foederum  is  genitive  of  definition,  not 
objective  as  Butler  seems  to  take  it. 

24.  haec  .  .  .  ganniebat :  "was  uttering  the.se  complaints."  Butler's 
rendering  "chattered"  would  in  Latin  be  expressed  by  garrio  rather 
than  gannio. 

25.  irata  solidum  :  "thoroughly  angered."  Solidum  is  the  poetic 
use  of  the  neuter  accusative  of  the  adjective  with  adverbial  force,  a  con- 
struction restricted  in  cla.ssical  pro.se  to  adjectives  expressing  quantity. 

28.  ingenuum  et  investem  :  consult  lexicon  for  both  meanings. 

30.  Horarum,  etc.  :  the  Ilorae,  or  godde.sses  of  the  seasons,  particu- 
larly of  tlie  s])ring,  were  naturally  connected  with  Venus,  as  were  the 
Graces  and  Muses. 

Page  87.     1.    puellam  :  object  of  cupere. 

2.  efflicte  :  tliis  is  an  unusual  word, per dite  being  more  common  in 
tills  conTicctiiin.     ('(.  however  efflictim,  p.  73,  1.  8,  and  elsewhere. 

4.  formae  succubam  :  "  .supplanter  of  my  charms. " 

5.  illud  incrementum  :  "  that  young  upstart "  ;  literally,  "sprout." 


Page  88]  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  141 

7.  quintans  :  "shrieking  out."  properiter  :  the  word  is  some- 
what art'haic  ;  propere  is  the  classical  word. 

10.  Honesta  haec  :  "honorable  conduct  this."  bonaeque  .  .  . 
congruentia  :   "  in  harmony  with  thy  moral  worth  "  ;  said  ironically. 

12.  sordidis  amoribus :  "with  passion  for  a  degraded  creature"; 
cf.  Venus'  command,  p.  07,  1.  5  seq. 

16.  te  solum  generosum  :  "  that  you  alone  are  nobly  born."  Venus 
means  that  Cupid  thinks  that  he  is  her  only  offspring. 

22.  patris  :  Mars,  his  foster  father.     His  real  father  is  not  known. 

23.  ad  instructionem  istam  :  "for  your  equipment"  ;  tha  pinnae, 
flammae,  arcus,  and  scif/UUie  mentioned  above. 

24.  male  .  .  .  inductus  es  :  "  you  have  been  a  bad  boy  from  your 
earliest  years."  acutas  manus  habes  :  "you  are  light-tingered  "  ; 
cf.  the  charming  lines  of  Hor.,  Od.  I,  12,  U-42  ;  there  is,  however,  a  slight 
play  upon  the  word  acutas,  for  in  its  relation  to  the  words  muiores 
pulsasti  it  means  "impulsive." 

29.  cui  .  .  .  consuesti  :  ' '  whom  you  are  constantly  accustomed  to 
provide  with  mistresses  to  make  me  jealous."  Butler  renders  in  anyorem 
mei  paelicatus,  "because  thou  art  angry  with  my  love  for  him,"  which 
is  surely  not  the  meaning.  The  literal  rendering  is  "for  grief  at  the 
concubinage  I  put  up  with." 

32.   imrisTii  :  dative  of  purpose. 

Page  88.     l.    stelionem  :  "swindler." 

5.  imdeimde  :  "from  any  source." 

6.  ilia  .  .  .  adhibenda  est :  she  makes  up  her  mind  that  she  will 
have  to  employ  Sobriety  after  all  (prorsus). 

10.  litatmn  :  impersonal  perfect  passive  infinitive. 

11.  subinde  :  "forthwith  "  ;  "often,"  the  rendering  given  by  Purser 
does  not  seem  to  suit  the  context. 

12.  quas  .  .  •  infeci  :  "which  as  I  held  him  in  my  arms  I  steeped 
with  streams  of  nectar."  The  genitive  seems  to  be  used  in  imitation  of 
the  Greek  construction  with  verbs  of  filling. 

13.  biles:  cognate  accusative.  continantur  :  "  join,"  or  "  meet  "  ; 
this  seems  to  be  the  proper  spelling  rather  than  cuntinuuntur.  The  verb  is 
late  and  rare. 

18.  volentiam  .  .  .  perpetraturae  :  "intending  doubtless  to  ac- 
complish the  desire  of  my  angiy  heart '"  ;  said  ironically. 

19.  volaticam  :  "elusive." 

28.    portat  bellule  :  "  carries  his  years  so  prettily. " 
31.    revinces  :  "  will  you  suppress  ?  " 


142  NOTES  [Page  89 

Page  89.  2.  amores  amare  :  note  the  assonance  ;  amare  is  the  ad- 
verb. 

3.  vitionim  .  .  .  officinam  :  "  close  up  the  pubUc  source  of  female 
frailties"  ;  officina,  literally,  "manufactory." 

6.  praeversis  alterorsus  :  "passing  by  them  on  the  other  side." 

7.  pelago  :  poetic  dative  of  direction. 

9.  inquieta  animo  :  anlmi  is  the  usual  construction. 

10.  iratum  licet :  "  angry  though  he  be." 

13.  Unde  autem  scio  an  :  "  how  do  I  know  but  that."  Scio  an  with 
the  subjunctive  in  the  sense  of  "know  but  that"  occurs  elsewhere  in 
Apuleius  ;  cf.  p.  91,  1.  29. 

20.  mundus  :  ' '  tools. ' ' 

27.    longum  exclamat ;  as  we  say,  "  cried  o\it  long  and  loud." 

Page  90.  1.  pedes  eius  advoluta  :  the  more  usual  construction  is 
the  dative  with  advolcere.     Tacitus,  too,  uses  the  accusative. 

2.  multiiugis  .  .  .  editis :  "uttering  manifold  prayers,"  as  indi- 
cated by  the  repeated  per-clauses. 

5.  cistanun  :  the  cista  was  a  cylindrical,  covered  basket  containing 
sacred  food  used  iii  the  Eleusinian  mysteries. 

6.  pinnata  curricula  :  the  winged  car  was  drawn  by  dragons. 

7.  sulcamina  :  "furrows"  ;  because  Sicily  was  a  great  corn-growing 
land.  Tlie  word  does  not  occur  elsewhere.  Sulcus  is  the  ordinary  word. 
cumim  .  .  .  remeacula  :  "by  the  car  that  stole  her  and  the  land  that 
held  her,  by  the  descent  of  Proserpina  to  her  lampless  wedding,  by  dis- 
covery with  the  lamp  and  her  return. ' ' 

21.  optimi  conaule  :  "  consider  it  most  lucky";  opitj/ii  is  pi-edicate 
genitive. 

26.  proximat :  Apuleius  is  fond  of  this  post-classical  verb.  Appro- 
pinqidj  is  till'  ordinaiy  word. 

32.    coniuga  :  the  cla.ssical  word  is  coniunx. 

Page  91.  2.  Carthaginis  :  the  Oriental  goddess  Tanit  was  identified 
with  Juno.         caelo  :  tlative  of  direction. 

6.  Zygiam  :  a  (iieek  word  applied  to  Juno  ;vs  goddess  of  marriage. 
CL  note,  p.  08,  1.  21. 

8.  exanclatis  :  "endured." 

11.  ad  istum  modum  :  sec  note,  p.  72,  1.  10. 

14.  contra  voluntatem  .  .  .  praestare  :  "  to  oppose  the  vdshes." 

27.  ultroneani  :   late  Latin  for  colnnldr'utin. 

29.    Qui  Bciaa  an  etiam  .  .  .  repperias  :  .see  note,  p.  89,  1.  13. 


Page  93]  CUl'ID    AND   I'SYCIIE  143 

32.  principium  .  .  .  meditabatur  obsecrationis  :  "  was  studying 
the  way  she  should  begin  her  plea." 

Page  92.  1.  remediis  abnuens :  the  common  construction  is  the 
accusative.  We  would  at  least  expect  de ;  cf.  Sal.  Jug.  84,  3  :  neque 
ille  senatus  de  ullo  negotio  abnuere  audebat. 

3.  ante  thalami  rudimentum  :  "  before  the  consummation  of  their 
union." 

5.  ipsius  auri  damno  pretiosum  :  "costly  by  the  loss  of  the  gold 
itself."  The  filing  away  of  the  valuable  metal  added  to  the  artistic  value 
of  the  object.  Purser's  rendering  "  and  costly  by  the  lavish  use  of  gold 
itself,"  is  palpably  a  misunderstanding  of  the  author's  rather  striking 
expression. 

11.  suave  :  adverbial  use  of  neuter  of  the  adjective.  The  classical 
prose  word  is  suaviter. 

12.  filiae  :  Venus  was  daughter  of  Heaven  and  of  Day. 

17.  operae  necessariam  :  "as necessary  for  her  purpose." 

18.  caerulum  supercilium  :  the  poetic  use  of  the  word  supercilium, 
in  the  sense  of  "  nod." 

19.  demeat :  a  word  peculiar  to  Apuleius,  for  the  classical  descendere. 

20.  Arcadi  :  called  Arcadian  because  born  on  Mt.  Cyllene  in  Arcadia. 
26.    qui  :  the  archaic  adverbial  form  ;  here  equivalent  to  quibus. 

29.  libellum  :  this  word  is  used  to  indicate  any  kind  of  a  placard  or 
notice. 

31.  per  omnium  ora  populorum  :  ' '  before  the  eyes  of  all  the  peoples 
of  the  world." 

Page  93.  3.  retro  metas  Murtias  :  "  behind  the  metae  of  Mmtia  "  ; 
those  were  the  southern  metae  of  the  Circus  Maximus,  so  called  from 
the  neighboring  shrine  of  Murtia,  sometimes  identified  with  VeniLS. 
Retro,  preposition  in  place  of  pos^,  is  not  found  in  classical  Latin. 

4.  indicivae  :  sc.  pemniae  ;  the  word  is  exceedingly  rare. 

5.  blandientis  adpulsu  linguae:  "with  the  touch  of  her  caressing 
tongi;e. " ' 

6.  longe  mellitum  :  longe  is  not  used  with  the  positive  of  the  adjec- 
tive in  classical  Latin. 

11.    famulitlone  :  the  classical  word  \s  famulatus. 

15.  circa  tuas  inquisitiones :  "on  account  of  searching  for 
you"  ;  tut  would  be  more  usual.  Circa  in  the  sense  of  de  seems  to  be 
Apuleian. 


144  NOTES  [Page  93 

16.  manus  incidisti :  the  classical  construction  is  in  manus,  oi-  at 
least  the  dative  case.  inter  Orci  cancroa :  "within  the  claws  of 
Orcus,"  as  we  say,  "  in  the  jaws  of  death." 

21.  latissimum  :  the  idea  is  "  copious  "  ;  "a  wild  burst  of  laughter  " 
is  perhaps  a  fair  rendering. 

22.  ascalpens  aurem  :  as  a  sign  of  impatience  ;  ascalpens  occurs  only 
here. 

25.  intervisere  :  the  poetic  infinitive  of  purpose. 
32.   lenocinio  :  "  by  the  enticement. " 

Page  94.     3.    audiet :  "shall  be  called  "  ;  see  note,  p.  79,  1.  12. 

4.  dicam  :  probably  subjunctive  mood.  impares  :  that  is,  between 
persons  of  unequal  social  position  ;  in  villa,  that  is,  in  an  out-of-the-way 
place  ;  hence  there  had  not  been  the  necessary  publicity  to  make  the 
marriage  legally  binding. 

9.  involat  earn  :  the  usual  construction  in  this  sense  is  in  earn. 
plurifariam  diloricat :  "rent  her  garments  in  pieces"  ;  plurifariam  is 
adverb. 

13.  grumulum  :  the  usual  word  is  cumulus  or  crceruus. 

15.  frugem  :   "capability." 

16.  passivam  congeriem  :  "  confused  heap. " 

18.  opus  .   .   .  mihi  :  "  perform  the  task  to  my  satisfaction. " 

19.  cenae  :  poetic  dative  of  direction. 

23.  certa  difficultatis  :  "a.ssured  of  the  difficulty." 

26.  classem  :  "  army  "  ;  an  archaic  use. 

29.    sepedum  populorum  :  "  six-footed  host." 

Page  95.  2.  fraglans  balsama  :  the  usual  construction  with  fragro 
is  tlie  ablative.  revincta  corpus  :  corpus  is  the  accusative  of  specifica- 
tion, or  object  of  revincta  used  as  middle  voice. 

6.  cibarii  panis  :  "a  ration  of  bread."  The  word  cibarin  is  also 
ased  substantively  with  the  meaning  "rations."  cubitum  facessit : 
"  went  off  to  bed  "  ;  cubitum  is  supine. 

9.    cum  sua  cupita  :  "  with  his  innamorata." 

11.  exanclata  :  sec  note.  p.  91,  1.  8. 

12.  commodum  inequitante  :  "  just  as  Aurora  was  riding  in,"  a  pic- 
ture.sque  pluasc.     Siie  w;us  just  appearing  in  her  car  drawn  by  the  Ilorae. 

14.  attenditur  :  "  is  bordered."  cuius  imi  gurgites  .  .  .  despici- 
unt  :  a  dillicult  passage  to  wliich  I  can  assign  no  meaning.  See  Purser's 
elaborate  note.  1  should  prefer  the  emendation  of  I'lasberg,  recipiunt,  and 
render  "  whose  deep  pools  receive  the  waters  of  an  adjacent  spring." 


Page  97]  CUPID    AND   PSYCHE  146 

18.  afferas  censeo  :  "  I  suggest  that  you  bring,"  said  with  irony. 

19.  obsequium  :  the  archaic  construction  of  the  accusative  case  with 
fungor. 

25.    istud  horae  :  "this  hour."     See  note,  p.  72,  1.   10.       quoad: 
"  as  long  as." 
28.   dum :  "until." 

31.  fluentum  :  in  classical  Latin  this  woi'd  is  poetical. 

32.  furia  :  classical  word  furor. 

Page  96.     l.    attigm  :  classical  word  vicinus. 

4.  Nee  .  .  .  cessavit:  "and  carefully  instructed,  by  giving  ear  to 
the  advice  she  did  not  regret,  she  was  not  remiss."  Inpaenitendo  is 
Apuleian. 

5.  furatrina  :  for  the  classical /«rium. 

8.  aecundi  laboris,  .  .  .  secundum  testimonium  :  a  play  upon  the 
meanings  of  secundus ;  "second  task  "  and  "favorable  recognition." 

10.  Bubridens  amarum  :  the  poetical  adverbial  construction  of  the 
adjective  in  place  of  the  adverb  amare. 

11.  auctor  adulterinus  :  that  is,  Cupid  ;  so  called  because  Venus 
views  his  connection  with  Psyche  as  illicit. 

12.  oppido  :  the  adverb. 

15.  proxumae  .  .  .  inclusae  :  "  enclo.sed  within  the  confines  of  the 
adjacent  valley."     Conceptaculum  is  for  the  classical  receptaculum. 

16.  indidem  .  .  .  urnula  :  "from  this  same  place  draw  the  icy 
liquid  from  the  deep  bubbling  water  of  the  top  of  the  spring  and  bring  it 
straightway  to  me  in  this  pitcher. ' '     The  adjective  penitus  is  archaic. 

18.   crustallo  dedolatum  :  "  cut  from  a  crystal." 

23.  locos  :  for  ad  locos.  appulit :  in  classical  Latin  appello  is  a 
nautical  term  meaning  "  to  dock." 

25.  inaccessa  salebritate  :  "  by  a  ruggedness  that  prevents  its  being 
scaled."     Salebritns  is  Apuleian. 

27.  proni  .  .  .  editi  :  "  is.suing  from  the  rift  of  the  sloping  opening." 

28.  angusti  .  .  .  tramite  :  "  concealed  by  the  course  it  had  hollowed 
out  in  a  narrow  channel."         convallem  :  for  in  convallem. 

31.  colla  :  object  of  porrecti,  used  with  middle  force  ;  a  poetic  usage. 
inconivae  .  .  .  addictis  :  "their  eyes  dedicated  to  a  wakefulness  that 
never  closed  a  lid." 

Page  97.  3.  impossibilitate  :  post-classical.  The  ablative  is  that  of 
cause  with  mutata,  which  agrees  with  Psyche. 


146  NOTES  [Page  97 

7.  graves  oculos  :  "grave  eyes  "  ;  a  somewhat  unusual  meaning  for 
gravis.  The  expression  would  ordmarily  mean  "heavy  eyes,"  as  with 
sleep  or  pain. 

10.    pocillatorem  Frygium  :  Ganymede. 

12.  diales  :  in  this  sensf  the  word  is  purely  poetical. 

13.  simplex  alioquin  :  "simple  indeed."  Alioquin  frequently  has 
this  weakened  force  in  Apuleius. 

17.   vel  f ando  :  "  at  least  by  hearsay. "        quodque  vos  deieratis  : 
"  and  whereas  you  swear  "  ;  literally,  "  as  to  the  fact  that  you  swear." 
19.    cedo  :  the  archaic  imperative.     See  note,  p.  3,  1.  22. 

21.  genas  :  "jaws,"  poetical  for  maxiHas.  trisulca  vibramina  : 
"  the  darting  of  the  forked  tongues." 

22.  remigium  :  pc^etical  for  alas. 

23.  ut  abiret  innoxius,  praestantes  :  "  allowing  him  to  depart  un- 
harmed." Innoxius  agrees  with  ales,  which  is  common  gender  and  was 
used  as  a  feminine  at  the  beginning  of  the  passage  in  line  8. 

27.    nutum  expiare  :  "  satisfy  the  will. " 
29.    exitiabile  :  adverbial  use  of  accusative. 

32.  pupula  :  a  diminutive  of  affection  ironically  used.  In  classical 
Latin  it  means  either  "  female  ward  "  or  "  pupil  of  the  eye." 

Page  98.  7.  Indidem  delitam  :  "anointed  with  the  same." 
theatrum :  "assembly." 

13.    praecipitem  :  that  is,  by  thi'owing  herself  headlong. 

17.    isto  :  tor  classical  isti. 

21.    huiua  conterminam  :  "  adjacent  to  which. " 

24.  simul :  for  sininl  ar,  a  poetical  use.  canale  :  "track";  lit- 
erally, "  channel." 

26.  offas  .  .  .  concretaa  :  "  pellets  of  meal  moistened  with  mead." 

27.  stipes  :  that  is,  Charon's  obolus. 

28.  continaberis  :  see  note,  p.  88,  1.  14. 

29.  simili  :  that  is,  cluudo. 

31.    nee  mora  cum  :  see  note,  j).  17,  1.  11. 

Page  99.     l.    sutili  cumba  :  the  boat  was  made  of  hides  stitched  to- 
gether.    The  same  ('xi)ic.ssioii  is  found  in  the  Aeneid,  VI,  413. 
3.    Ditis  :   nominative.     The  usual  form  is  ])is. 

5.  prae  manu  :  "at  hand."  nemo  .  .  .  patietur  :  that  is,  no  one 
will  allow  him  to  die  without  it,  but  will  provide  it  himself. 

6.  nauli :  nnulum  is  a  Greek  word  meaning  "passage  money." 
9.    fluentum  :  see  note,  p.  1)5,  1.  31. 


Page  101]  CUPID   AND   PSYCHE  147 

11.  adflectare  :  short  form  of  adjlectaris. 

17.  leve  :  ill  the  predicate. 

27.  esto  :  future  iinperative  of  edo. 

28.  qviid  adveneris  :  this  indirect  question  is  the  logical  subject  of 
the  ablative  absolute  nuntiato. 

32.    redies  :  archaic  for  redibis. 

Page  100.     3.   abditum  :  some  infinitive  form  has  been  lost  after  this 
word  ;  scrutari  has  been  supplied  ;  curare  has  also  been  suggested. 
4.    prospicua  :  "  clear  sighted  "  or  "  far  seeing." 

6.  meatum  :  cognate  accusative. 

7.  amnica  :  amnicus  is  post-classical. 

12.  cibario  pane  :  see  note,  p.  95,  1.  6. 

18.  mentem  capitur  :  Greek  accusative  of  specification  ;  see  note, 
p.  82,  1.  (i. 

20.  nee  .  .  quidem  :  see  note,  p.  67,  1.24.  vel  sic:  "even  in 
this  way  "  ;  that  is,  if  not  by  her  unadorned  beauty. 

24.  coperculo  revelatus :  "revealed  by  the  cover";  a  forced 
expression. 

32.    Paychen  :  for  ad  Psychen. 

Page  101.  3.  perieras  :  "  you  had  perished. "  The  emphatic  hypo- 
thetical indicative,  instead  of  the  subjunctive.  The  idea  is  that  she  would 
have  inevitably  perished  had  he  not  arrived. 

10.  ad  armillum  redit :  "returns  to  his  old  tricks";  proverbial; 
according  to  popular  etymology,  armillum  meant  "  wine-jar." 

13.  buccula  :  diminutive  of  affection. 

15.  domine  fili  :  "dear  son  "  ;  dominus,  even  as  early  as  Pliny's  time, 
had  become  a  title  indicating  respect  or  affection.  servaris  :  shorter 
form  for  servaveris,  as  also  the  perfects  that  follow. 

19.  ipsam  luliam  :  even  the  Julian  law,  de  adulter iis  coercendls, 
passed  in  17  h.c. 

22.    modestiae  :  "clemency." 

25.  puella  praepoUet  pulcritudine  :  note  alliteration. 

26.  vicem  :  this  may  be  taken  as  object  of  repensare.  Purser's  stand 
that  this  should  be  avoided  because  we  can  cite  no  instance  of  vicem  as 
direct  object  when  modified  by  a  genitive  does  not  seem  convincing. 

29.  in  poenam  .  .  .  conventum  iri  :  "  he  would  be  sued  for  10,000 
sesterces. ' ' 

31.  Dei  conscripti  :  "gods  enrolled  on  the  records  of  the  Muses"  ; 
the  Muses  kept  the  records. 


148  NOTES  [Page  101 

32.  adolescentem  .  .  .  scitis  :  "you  all  know  that  I  have  brought 
up  this  youth  with  my  own  hands  "  ;  literally,  "know  this  youth  that "  ; 
note  substantive  7Mod-clause  following  scire. 

Page  102.  9.  statuque  :  dative  ;  correlative  with  prosapiae.  de  : 
tliis  expresses  cause. 

11.    congruas  :  archaic. 

19.  toti  dei :  for  the  usual  omnes  dei.  Totus  is  tlie  word  that  has 
sui-vived  in  French. 

24.  suppari  :  "  in  time  to." 

25.  scaena  .  .  .  concinnata  :  "  the  celebration  having  been  so  ar- 
ranged ' '  ;  ablative  absolute. 

27.  convenit  in  tnanum  Cupidinis  :  conoentio  in  manum  was  a  legal 
term  used  to  signify  the  coming  of  a  woman  into  the  power  of  her  husband 
by  marriage. 


LATIN 

The  Latin  Language 

A  Historical  Outline  of  its  Sounds,  Inflections,  and  Syntax,  by 
Charles  E.  Bennett,  Goldwin  Smith  Professor  of  Latin  in  CorneU 
University.     i2mo,  cloth,  272  pages.     Price,  ^i.oo. 

THIS  is  a  text-book  in  advanced  Latin  Grammar  for  colleges 
and  universities.  It  is  a  complete  revision  of  the  Appendix 
to  Bennett's  Latin  Grammar,  a  book  which  was  first  prepared  in 
1896,  from  a  series  of  lectures  to  advanced  students  on  subjects 
not  covered  by  any  Latin  Grammar  published  in  America.  The 
title,  Appendix,  was  found  to  be  misleading,  and  the  author  has 
given  to  the  revision  the  new  name  of  The  Latin  Language.  The 
book  gives  such  information  regarding  the  history  and  develop- 
ment of  the  language  as  experience  has  shown  to  be  of  service 
to  students  who  are  specializing  in  Latin. 

The  subjects  treated  are:  The  Latin  Alphabet,  Accent,  Inflec- 
tions, Pronunciation,  Orthography,  Adverbs  and  Prepositions, 
Hidden    Quantity,   The  Latin   Sounds,  and   Syntax. 

Syntax  of  Early  Latin 

By  Professor  Charles  E.  Bennett,  of  Cornell  University. 

Vol.1:  The  Verb.     8vo,  cloth,  525  pages.     Price,  ^4.00. 

Vol.  II:  The  Case  Constructions.    8vo,  cloth,  419  pages.    Price,  S4.00. 

THIS  book  is  intended  to  replace  the  now  long  antiquated 
manual  of  Holtze,  Syntaxis  Priscorii/n  Scriptorjim  Latino- 
r}(m,  Leipsic,  1861-62.  Since  that  work  was  published  our  texts 
of  all  the  Early  Latin  writers  have  been  put  upon  a  new  founda- 
tion ;  new  principles  and  standards  have  been  set  up  in  syntac- 
tical investigation ;  and  scores  of  important  monographs  have 
appeared  on  the  syntax  of  special  authors  and  of  special  usages. 
The  author's  aim  has  been  to  incorporate  in  his  work  the  results 
of  all  these  labors.  The  book,  while  dealing  primarily  with  the 
syntax  of  Early  Latin,  is  of  fundamental  importance  to  every 
earnest  student  of  the  syntax  of  the  later  classical  period,  since 
Early  Latin  so  often  reveals  the  germ  from  which  the  classical 
idiom  has  developed. 

87 


LATIN 
COLLEGE   LATIN    SERIES  —  Continued 


Tusculan  Disputations:  Books  I,  II,  V 

With  Introduction  and  Notes  by  Professor  H.  C.  NuTTiNG,  of  the 
University  of  California.     lamo,  cloth,  358  pages.     Price  ^1.50. 

THIS  edition  is  well  equipped  with  an  introduction  containing 
a  brief  discussion  of  Cicero's  philosophical  works  and  his 
relation  to  Greek  philosophy ;  with  synopses,  giving  a  fairly  full 
outline  of  the  arguments  and  of  the  connection  of  thought  of  the 
text;  with  ample  notes;  and  complete  indices.  The  Tusculan 
Disputations  have  always  been  considered  admirably  adapted  to 
college  work  and  it  is  hoped  that  this  excellent  edition  will 
extend  their  use. 

The  Mostellaria  of  Plautus 

With   Introduction   and  Notes  by  Professor  Edwin  W.  FaY,  of  the 
University  of  Texas.     i2mo,  cloth,  204  pages.     Price,  ;^i.oo. 

PROFESSOR  FAY'S  Introduction  has  sections  on  Plautus, 
the  Man  and  the  Writer;  The  Versification  of  the  Mostel- 
laria, with  a  classification  of  the  metres  and  reference  to  all  the 
lines  where  each  occurs ;  and  The  Dialect  of  Plautus. 
In  the  text  the  stage  directions  are  inserted  in  English. 
The  notes  are  full  of  parallels  from  Elizabethan  drama.  They 
are  also  distinguished  by  the  racy  rendering  of  the  idiomatic 
Latin.     Synopses  precede  the  comment  on  each  scene. 

The  Andria  of  Terence 

With  Introduction  and  Notes  by  Professor  HENRY  R.  Fairclough,  of 
Leland  Stanford  Junior  University.  i2mo,  cloth,  266  pages.  Price,  ^1.25. 

AS  the  Andria  is  often  the  first  Latin  comedy  to  be  read,  the 
editor  has  made  his  Introduction  exceptionally  full.  It  con- 
tains sections  on  The  Development  of  Roman  Comedy ;  The 
Literary  Awakening  of  Rome ;  The  Plot  and  Characters  of  the 
Andria ;  The  Theatre ;  Prosody ;  Metres  and  Music ;  The  Lan- 
guage ;  and  kindred  matters. 

41 


LATIN 
COLLEGE   LATIN    SERIES  —  Continued 


The  Captivi  of  Plautus 

With  Introduction  and  Notes  by  Professor  H.  C.  Elmer,  of  Cornell 
University.     i2mo,  cloth,  231  pages.     Price,  $1.25. 

PROFESSOR  ELMER'S  Introduction  covers  a  Sketch  of  the 
History  of  Greek  and  Roman  Comedy ;  The  History  of  the 
Text  of  Plautus  ;  Dramatic  Entertainments  —  the  Actor's  Stage, 
etc. ;  The  Division  of  the  Plays  into  Acts  and  Scenes ;  The 
Metres  of  Plautus  and  their  Appropriateness  to  Different  Moods ; 
Differences  in  the  Manner  of  rendering  Rhythms ;  Prosody ; 
Language  ;  Plot  of  the  Captivi. 

In  the  text  each  scene  is  preceded  by  an  English  synopsis. 
The  stage  directions  are  given  in  English. 

The  notes  are  full  enough  for  beginners  in  Latin  comedy. 

Roman  Constitutional  History 

By  Professor  J.  E.  Granrud,  of  the  University  of  Minnesota.    i2mo, 
cloth,  306  pages.     Price,  $  1.25. 

THE  political  institutions  of  Rome  are  treated  historically  so 
as  to  furnish  collateral  reading  for  students  of  Latin,  and 
provide  an  admirable  introduction  to  further  study  of  the  subject. 

The  book  is  divided  into  four  periods:  I.  The  Formation  of 
the  Roman  State  (753-509  B.C.),  showing  the  Composition  of  the 
Roman  Population  and  the  Early  Government;  II.  The  Equali- 
zation of  the  Orders  (509-287),  with  chapters  on  the  Organiza- 
tion of  the  Plebeians,  the  Consular  Tribunes  and  Censors,  the 
Claudian  Reforms  and  the  Hortensian  Laws;  III.  The  Suprem- 
acy of  the  Senate  (287-133)  ;  IV.  The  Overthrow  of  the  Republic 
and  the  Establishment  of  a  New  Monarchy  (133-44),  with  chap- 
ters on  the  Revolution  of  the  Gracchi,  the  Constitution  of  Sulla, 
the  First  Triumvirate,  and  the  Rule  of  Cassar. 

For  those  unfamiliar  with  Latin,  technical  terms  have  been 
translated. 

42 


W.     3^i^ 


AA    000  908  364    3 


CENTRAL  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
University  of  California,  Saxi  Diego 


^^^             DATE  DUE 

«tr  ^1  J979 

JUL  3 1  ^c^ 

1 

CI  39 

UCSD  Libr. 

? ! :  !<!i;iUjiPirtKi; 


